Building Loyalty: How to Get (and Keep) Loyal Customers
As a small business, it’s essential to constantly keep your brand in front of your customers and interact with them through various touchpoints to keep them coming back—and better yet, telling all their friends about you!
YOUR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS
Below is a breakdown of customer audiences and ways to target them:
1. Existing Loyal Customers – these are people that already shop at your store frequently.
Ensure they are happy. Communicate consistently through email marketing and direct marketing. Consider a loyalty and/or referral program to reward them for their patronage. It will encourage them to share their experience with others, which is the most valuable form of advertising for a local business.
2. Infrequent Customers – these are people who have been in your store and are possibly thinking about a new project.
Make sure you gather their contact information and add them to your email list. If you haven’t seen them in a while, send an email saying “We miss you! ” with an offer or invite them in for a free cup of coffee. Get personal so they remember you!
3. Potential Customers – these are people who know about you but don’t necessarily shop at your establishment. This is an excellent time to reinforce the message of how important it is to the community to “shop small.”
Consider placing signage in your window promoting the “shop small” message or use a sandwich board with a funny/cool saying (possibly also promoting a special) to encourage that local vibe.
4. Warm Customers – these are people who are thinking about a home improvement project but do not yet know you exist.
Make sure your signage is out, advertise in local papers, participate in local events, sponsor a local sports team, give your employees an incentive to bring in new customers, and implement that existing customer referral program.
5. New Customers are not yet considering a home improvement project and don’t know you exist. They represent your largest potential audience but are also the most challenging to reach.
Consider local SEO and Google ads so when people search “paint store near me,” your name pops up. Also, make sure you have a website presence that (at the very least) shows who you are, where you are, and how you can help. Ideally, it would list the types of products you offer and have your contact information front and center! If you need help with a landing page, contact us here!
Keeping your local audiences in mind will help you create and implement an ongoing marketing program that nurtures existing customers and helps create awareness for potential new ones!
Source: PDRA