Different ways to gain and retain customers
Having a large number of customers is the key to any successful business. However, getting to that point is far from easy, since winning the loyalty of your customers requires a lot of work. Thankfully, there are a number of different ways to gain and retain customers. If you carefully plan your marketing strategy and have the digital infrastructure to support it, you should have no problem growing your business and expanding your customer base.
Four simple ways to gain new customers
#1: Research your clients
Finding something is always going to be hard if you don’t know exactly what you are looking for. In your quest to find new customers you’ll first need to have a very good idea of who your target customers are. Identify your ideal client and learn everything you can about them.
- Get to know their preferences and shopping habits.
- Find out how they make online purchases and how much they spend on average.
- Research where they spend their online time and craft your marketing to specifically fit those platforms.
#2: Build a comprehensive and engaging website
Some marketing experts will claim that the best way to get customers is to heavily invest in various forms of advertising. Marketing can definitely get people interested in your product and it can point users to your website. However, that’s not entirely the same as closing a sale. Your website represents the most important part of any marketing campaign.
If you need a professional website and want to integrate it into your marketing, you can reach out to DigitalDot – a web development company in New York. A well-designed website can improve your SEO and boost the organic traffic you receive. You can then try to convert those website visitors into paying customers.
Your website is also the best place to apply various software tools to help you track customer behavior. The marketing analytics you perform will give you a lot of data to work with. Use that information to optimize your website and create an amazing user experience. Make sure navigation is simple and intuitive, and that users have an easy time finding the information they need.
#3: Create quality content
One of the best ways to promote your expertise and knowledge, as well as to gain customers at the same time – is by creating quality content. Users will naturally be drawn to your website if it contains informative articles. You should make it your mission to educate users on the specific intricacies of your field of business.
Focus your content on teaching your audience how to solve common problems. This will help you position yourself as a brand they can trust. However, you should also have your articles point out the benefits of your products. Dedicate a portion of your content to explaining how your products are used. Present the items you are selling as perfect solutions to the problems customers may be facing. Offer advice based on the framework which your products and services provide. This will make your audience much more likely to make a purchase with you. Quality content will bring visitors to your website and it represents one of the best ways to gain and retain customers.
#4: Follow up on old leads
Users who once expressed interest in your products may be open to becoming your customers. There may be different reasons to why they never completed a purchase. Therefore, it makes sense to target them with your remarketing. Digital marketing agency NYC recommends keeping track of website visitors and subscribers who still haven’t made a purchase. You should give leads some time to make up their minds if they are ready to make a purchase. Although this may be true, you still shouldn’t let those leads go cold, so consider setting a reminder to follow up on them.
Three guaranteed ways to retain customers
#1: Perfect your onboarding process
Customer onboarding is the first step that users make in their customer journey when they just begin using your products or services. Everyone knows that first impressions are hugely important, as well as that you have very little time to make one. This is where you can win over your customers and turn them into loyal brand ambassadors. Therefore you should strive to make their first experience as a paying customer truly exceptional. Experts on web design services NYC suggest designing your whole website around this. Have a breathtaking landing page with a clear call to action.
You should also have ways to enable customers to contact your sales support team. Consider placing a click to call button which will establish direct communication with an employee. Ideally, your customer onboarding should be personalized, so having the ability to reach your support staff is important.
Prolong that initial excitement that comes with a new purchase by making every customer feel important. Follow up with customers after their purchase to see how satisfied they are. This can also represent an opportunity for repeat business.
#2: React to complaints
Try as you might, it will be impossible to make every single purchase a smooth ride for your customers. While it’s perfectly fine to make mistakes, you can actually treat those situations as opportunities. One of the best ways to retain customers is to respond to complaints and negative reviews. You can even ask customers for feedback instead of waiting for them to come to you. Listening to your audience is an important part of customer retention. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t ignore or delete negative comments. Instead, you should publically respond to negative feedback in a constructive manner and show a willingness to improve. This is one of the best ways to gain and retain customers since it builds trust in your brand.
#3: Develop loyalty programs
Rewarding your long-time customers is one of the best ways to show your appreciation for their business. You can implement several different loyalty programs, depending on the size of your company and the type of services you offer:
- Reward points. These can lead to discounts or free orders
- Referral rewards. Word of mouth is a great way to gain new customers. Reward referrals to incentivize your customers to recommend you to others.
- VIP treatment. Have VIP tiers based on customer activity. Encourage your customers to spend more on your products and engage more with your brand.
The bottom line
As you can see, there are many different ways to gain and retain customers. Now it’s up to you to find the best solutions for your company and to make sure your customers feel appreciated.