Finding customers can feel like an uphill battle at times, and it can certainly be expensive. So how do you make sure that once a customer has visited you once, they keep coming back?<\/p>\n\n
Here, we\u2019ve put together our top tips for how small businesses can grow customer loyalty and drive sales.<\/p>\n\n
More and more these days people find themselves dealing with faceless corporations and robotic websites. Your business is likely to make more of an impact if you can personalise it to your customers.<\/p>\n\n
That might involve engaging with them on social media or sending personalised emails. If you interact with your customers in person then getting to know them and what they like will help your business feel as if it\u2019s going the extra mile \u2013 just for them.<\/p>\n\n
These days, few people will leave the house without their Nectar card – it\u2019s one of the most successful customer loyalty schemes ever launched.<\/p>\n\n
Of course, setting up something like Nectar is beyond the capacity of most small businesses, but you can still create a loyalty scheme to tempt customers back. You could go for a stamp card, rewarding customers after a certain number of purchases, or offer them something on the anniversary of their first custom.<\/p>\n\n
Everyone likes to think they\u2019re getting something for nothing, which is why discounts and giveaways work so well for promoting customer loyalty<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n This can tie into loyalty schemes. If you\u2019re offering a prize draw, you could make this available only to people who have bought something from you in the past month \u2013 just make sure you tell them about it in advance.<\/p>\n\n And always keep your profit margin and ROI<\/a> (return on investment) in mind if offering something for free. <\/p>\n\n Keeping customers happy is something the 2022 winner of The Apprentice<\/a> talked about in a webinar for Simply Business. Harpreet Kaur, owner of a dessert parlour business, said: \u201cEnsure that you\u2019re still making sure it’s financially viable when you’re calculating these discounts, but again don’t be afraid to invest in your customer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n You can try all sorts of customer retention techniques, but if you don\u2019t know which ones are working you could be putting money into something that\u2019s getting you no return, or giving up on something that\u2019s actually doing you good.<\/p>\n\n How you gather feedback is up to you. <\/p>\n\n If you run a business where you interact with customers, you could ask them to fill in a feedback form<\/a> or just talk to them about a scheme you\u2019ve offered to see if they liked it.<\/p>\n\n If your business is mostly run online, you could add a survey to your website using a software provider, or simply email your customers with a Google form. <\/p>\n\n Whatever you do, use this information to form habits for success<\/a> and drive your business forward. <\/p>\n\n Another way to make people feel valued and that they’re getting a good deal is for you to offer something extra that your competitors won\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n For example, when you buy your insurance with Simply Business you get a monthly newsletter with a roundup of all the best content from our Knowledge Centre, as well of details of other exciting events we have planned.<\/p>\n\n \n<\/p>\n\n Is there something you can offer loyal customers? What about early access to an online sale, or exclusive access to a new product launch event?<\/p>\n\n One of the ways you can make your business stand out in a competitive marketplace is by offering really good customer service<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n If you \u2013 and everyone who works for you \u2013 gives your customer the best experience possible, they\u2019re going to be much more keen to come back. <\/p>\n\n4. Ask for feedback<\/h3>\n\n
5. Add more value<\/h3>\n\n
6. Deliver great customer service<\/h3>\n\n