It is no big industry secret that it costs a far greater amount of money to acquire new customers than it does to retain existing ones. Making an effort to keep existing customers engaged in your business will go a long way in keeping them around for the long haul. Keeping your customers happy and engaged will ensure that they return to you for future purchases or services. Here are six of the best ways to keep your customers engaged with your business.
Harness Power of Text Messaging
Text messaging has emerged as one of the most effective ways to communicate with your customer base. It is easier than ever to communicate vital information through the use of a text alerts system. You do not need to be particularly tech-savvy to master this form of digital marketing. These types of systems also allow you to schedule your communication ahead of time or to automate them so that they are sent out regularly based on your desired schedule.
Listen to Feedback
You are far more likely to retain your existing customers if you take the time to listen to their feedback. However, it is not enough to simply listen to this feedback. You also need to respond to it appropriately. It is a good idea to set up a system that regularly solicits feedback. This will make your customers feel heard, helping them to feel more valued along the way. It has been proven that people feel more connected to a business or service if they feel as if what they think matters.
Be Engaging on Social Media
There is no doubt that the rise of social media has revolutionized the way that companies can reach their customers. Lean into this form of digital marketing and use it as a means to keep your customers engaged. To harness the full power of this medium, you need to post engaging content. For example, use your social media to ask questions and encourage your followers to respond. And when they do respond, you need to be intentional about engaging back with them. This will keep the circle of communication going.
Optimize Email Marketing
Despite the rise of social media and text marketing, email marketing is still considered to be one of the best ways to reach the people that want to hear your message. Optimize this medium by being intentional about the message that you send and when you send it. Any great email starts with an engaging subject line that makes people want to open it and dive in. You also need to provide valuable content that encourages your customers to keep coming back to these emails as a source of important information. Finally, be sure that you are using any analytics provided by the service provider to make sure that you are reaching your target audience with your email.
Do Not Discount Good Customer Service
Good customer service can be harder and harder to come by these days. You can immediately set yourself apart from the crowd by making good customer service a primary tenant of your company’s goals. Quality customer service builds trust within your customer base. They need to feel confident that their needs will be taken seriously and responded to appropriately. Consumers will undoubtedly return to your company after they have experienced a good customer service experience. They will also likely spread the word about any exceptional service, helping you to build your customer base even further.
Get Out in the Community
Depending on the nature of your business, it may be useful to get out in the community more often if your goal is to improve customer retention. People will relate more to a company that they view as part of their local community. This will naturally encourage them to keep you top of their minds for all of their relevant needs. Good ideas include sponsoring youth sports teams, organizing a charitable donation drive, or donating goods or services to local schools.
Bottom Line
These six tips will work together to provide a comprehensive strategy to retain your best customers. Do not underestimate the power of customer loyalty when it comes to boosting your company’s bottom line.
