Attracting and retaining customers is one of the top goals of any business, especially in the competitive eCommerce business. Let’s face it, with 24 million eCommerce sites on the web, every online business is vying for more attention.
But, retaining those customers and even turning them into loyal brand champions for your business may be even better. According to Bain & Company, increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can boost your profits by anywhere from 25% to 95%.
With the holiday season coming up, retaining customers that have shopped with you before should be a huge focus, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. People are willing to shop and feel a sense of normalcy again, even if it’s just online. So, in addition to attracting new customers, finding ways to make previous purchasers come back for more should be a major part of your marketing strategy.
So, how can you retain customers once you’ve attracted them to your site in the first place?
Superior Customer Service
With so many eCommerce sites on the web, potential customers have their choice when it comes to the ones they visit and the ones they make purchases from. Because of that, it’s important to keep in mind the little things that can set you apart. For example — if you owned a brick and mortar shop, think about how you would want your employees to treat your customers. Now, apply that to your e-commerce site.
You may not have actual employees guiding your viewers through your site. But, there are things you can do to improve user experience and foster an environment of positive customer service even if you never actually see their face.
One of the best ways to do that is to capitalize on appropriate interaction: utilize a ChatBot on your site that can answer questions customers might have while browsing; make your site easy to navigate with clear categories and images; send out emails to those who opt-in to stay in constant communication; and so on. When a customer feels as though they are being heard and seen, they’re more likely to trust your business.
You can also attract new customers through communication and customer service, too. Utilize social media to start conversations, answer questions from potential customers, and provide discounts and incentives for first-time shoppers and loyal customers alike. By giving some humanistic support qualities to your business, people will feel more of a connection and will feel more comfortable shopping.
Remain Relevant
In this fast-paced technological world, there are certain expectations that need to be met in order to remain relevant. It’s not just in the retail world. Tech is driving almost every industry, including:
- Government
- Healthcare
- Education
- Manufacturing
You can keep customers interested in your e-commerce site by using technological advancements in your marketing plan. One way to do that is to make sure your site is mobile-friendly. Did you know that 2 billion people across the globe only access the Internet via their phones?
That’s a lot of shopping power in the palm of someone’s hand. By making sure your site is streamlined for mobile shopping, customers are more likely to stick with it. They aren’t going to want to wait for long load times or deal with glitches when it comes to checking out.
Adding widgets and updates to your website is a great way to stay on top of tech trends, especially when they’re mobile-friendly. Just make sure that you aren’t going too far. Technology can get confusing and overwhelming when used the wrong way. Your goal should always be to make the buying process easy and effective for your customers, not stressful.
Reward Loyalty
If you want to retain your best customers, you need to invest in them. Reward them for shopping with you on a consistent basis, and keep them coming back for more. If you market a loyalty program or a rewards program for frequent buyers, you may also be attracting new customers in the process.
A loyalty rewards program is a fantastic way to get people coming back to your site frequently. How you set up your program is up to you. Some common options include:
- Using a points system for discounts.
- Using a dollar spent system.
- Offering a percentage off with customer codes sent via email.
- Sending them a free gift.
- Referral and sign-up credits.
Offering rewards can help to boost your ROI. Though you might be offering discounts or giving away things for free, your customers are likely to spend more than you’re “giving away”. It doesn’t take much to “impress” a customer and turn them into loyal followers.
If they feel as though your business truly cares about them, they’re more likely to talk about you to their friends and family. If you’re into marketing at all, you know there’s nothing better than word-of-mouth advertising.
Whether you’re looking to boost your sales for the holidays or you want to attract a new audience while still catering to current customers, keep these tips in mind. Putting your customers first will always help your business to stand out and have a more personal quality to it. That’s something everyone who shops online can appreciate. Today we should have helped you when it comes to attracting and retaining customers for your eCommerce business.
