While this is one of the best times to start a business, retaining loyal customers still remains hard work. Between fierce competition in person and on the Internet, your customers are constantly inundated with messages from potential businesses. The only way to beat out the competition is to inspire loyalty within your customers. This task doesn’t have to be expensive, as long as you think like a customer. Consider five affordable tips that can potentially lead to significant changes within your business.
Exceed Expectations
The key to success in business is to stand out from the competition. You do this in part by exceeding the expectations of your customers. This includes effective marketing tactics to connect clients to the right products and services they need, as well as great customer service throughout. You can also make any customer a loyal fan by following up after a purchase.
Offer Complementary Gifts
Have you ever received a special gift from a business you worked with? These small tokens of appreciation are enough to make a customer feel good and want to keep doing business with you. However, it is time to get creative and think of affordable gift ideas beyond the pens and refrigerator magnets. Cheap promotional mugs are a great way to show off your brand, and you can buy them at affordable rates in bulk. Best of all, they are guaranteed to be used-and in front of other potential clients and customers.
Give Free Advice
While the purpose of being in business is to grow and make money, customers will be more open to information you provide if it’s not always salesy in nature. For example, if you own a health club, giving nutrition and fitness tips through a blog is a great way to be engaging with both current and potential customers. If all you talk about is the gym itself, everyone will quit reading your work.
Be Available
Customers have a lot of questions, but the fact is that most of them will only ask for help if the opportunities are available. One of the quickest customer turn-offs is a business that isn’t available to answer questions as needed. When handling customers in person, make sure you always ask if they need help. Also consider installing a messaging service for after-hours questions. While you may not be able to get to the questions until the next day, just the availability of the service lets customers know that you care about their needs. In addition, allow customers to email you and contact you through social networking sites.
Track the Results
It is important to track the results of your customer loyalty so that you know which direction you should take your business in. You don’t have to hire outside help to accomplish this—you can designate one team member to the task instead. While sales are the greatest indicator of customer loyalty, there are other signs to look for as well. Check your social networking sites and website to tally your followers. Also be sure to track customer comments and follow up as needed. By fixing minor issues, you can ensure the longevity of your brand for years to come.
Abby Evans is a freelance writer and blogging enthusiast, and has written articles on a wide variety of topics. Ranging from home improvement, business, and the job search, she loves to learn all she can to expand her knowledge.
