Keeping Customers Loyal

Customers are less devoted than they formerly were

Previously, clients would choose a service that fit their needs and stick with it for years. Customers are now fickle, and they can be quickly swayed by a competitor's offer if it appears to be cheaper or better than yours. So-called 'loyalty management' has become more of a science than it ever was, and you need to apply it if you don't want to be perpetually failing to keep your clients.

Offer discounts for repeat business

Some firms offer a 'first-time' discount to entice customers to check out their services. It is entirely incorrect to do it this way. What you should strive to do is reward loyalty by offering a discount every time someone uses your services. Over time, this makes switching to the competition appear like a foolish offer to them; why would they when they get a 20% discount from you every time?

Maintain mailing lists

You should have at least two mailing lists: one for prospects (those who might buy from you) and one for existing clients. You should pay close attention to both lists, but especially the existing customer list -- and especially anyone who has purchased from you more than once.

You should stay in touch with your regular customers as much as possible, always recognizing their wants and when they may need you again. Don't worry about the costs associated with direct mail; you can always do it via email. The secret is simple: touch, contact, contact. Send Christmas cards to your regulars, invite them to lunch, or do anything else comes to mind. A helpful suggestion is to always use approaches that your competition are overlooking.

If your service is one that the customer will require on a regular basis or at a specific time of year, make sure to keep track of it in your customer database and send something out at that time. There's nothing worse than losing a customer's business simply because they didn't have your phone number and had enough time to consider a competitor's offer.

A newsletter, whether sent by email or post, is another excellent way to reach out to your mailing list. Spend a few hours each month writing something with helpful knowledge about your sector that your clients are likely to keep and find beneficial, and include your logo at the top to remind others of you all the time. As an added bonus, you may archive this content on your website so that it can be accessed by individuals searching for related terms in search engines.

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