March 24, 2011

This particular blog is really geared toward smaller to mid-size businesses, but the fundamentals could actually be applied to any size business. So you've sold one of your products or services to a customer. What next? Whether the sale is at POS "face to face", over the phone, via the Internet, or through a reseller/distributor channel, it's important to capture the customer's contact information, preferably an email and telephone number. Why? So you can develop and implement a strategy to get them to come back! Particularly for smaller businesses, to grow their customer base and increase sales revenue, they need to think about ways to get that first customer to repurchase, purchase more frequently, and purchase more of the products and/or services offered.

It's not just about putting an item or two on sale. It's about developing a personal relationship with each and every customer. A positive interaction at the time of purchase is a good start. Believe it or not, there is an emotional component in developing and building a loyal customer relationship! Reinforce that purchase with a follow-up email within a few days thanking them for buying from you, and then offer them an incentive in the email to visit again soon. Make it time dependent. The incentive could vary depending on the type and cost of the purchase. The incentive should have some perceived additional value as an impetus to shop again at your establishment. For example, the email could say "Hi James, thanks so much for your purchase on March 23, 2011. If you have any questions or if we can be of service, please do not hesitate to contact us. Please accept this gift as an expression of our appreciation for your business."

If the email is "signed" with just the business name, make sure there is a contact person, phone number and/or email included in case the customer does want to contact your business for any reason. The gift or "incentive" could be a gift card to a coffee house or theater. It could be a merchandise item or items, of which the recipient would choose one from. It could be a coupon with a discount on their next purchase or purchase of a specific product. It doesn't have to be an expensive incentive, just enough to reinforce the positive message you've sent by taking the time to send a thank you. Essentially, this is a very simple incentive program. You can manage it yourself or utilize the services of a company like Incentive Logic to do it for you. We can help write the emails, personalize them, send them, and take care of providing and sending the incentive. It's up to you! This is only one simple and easy way to start to building loyalty with your customers. Customers will remember when they are treated well, just as they most assuredly do when they are treated poorly!