Returning customers are essential for eCommerce success. Loyal customers not only help grow your business and keep profits high, but they can help spruik your brand to others.
According to studies, returning customers already know and trust your business, so at least 67% are ready to spend more than new customers.
If you’re running an ecommerce store already or are thinking of launching one, there are some basic things to implement that can help your business grow. This guide will cover how to maintain credibility, which customer loyalty tools you can use, and how to build successful relationships with your customers.
Build Customer Relationships
Increase brand recognition
If customers relate to your brand, they’ll want to keep buying from you. From the very beginning, show your customers you care and appreciate them stopping by. It’s your chance to be welcoming and introduce your brand story by showing what your business stands for.
Connect with your customers
One way to increase customer retention is by using email marketing. Collecting a database of your customer emails comes in handy when you launch new products, test new campaigns and promote special deals, gather feedback… Simply put, it’s a great way to speak directly to your customers, and build long-term relationships from day one.
It’s important to let them get to know your brand’s personality. Here’s an example of how a simple yet visually effective welcome email can engage with a customer.
Gain trust and credibility
In the world of the internet, people should be able to find you on a range of social networks and easily in search engines. First impressions are everything when it comes to your website, so keeping up with the latest style trends and web practices is crucial in presenting a well delivered online shopping experience.
Customer reviews and security should also be taken into consideration. Encourage happy customers to post product reviews and feedback about their shopping experience. Word of mouth is still one of the strongest methods of marketing your products.
Deliver What’s Expected
No customer will ever come back to you if your product descriptions and images are drastically different from what they actually get. Make sure your product photos are as close to reality as possible.
Show the Human Side
Personalized messages
Everyone appreciates a personal touch, and while it’s rare to see personal notes from big companies, it’s something smaller businesses can do to make your customers remember you. Other little things can include adding the customer’s name to mail-outs and automated emails for order confirmations.
In addition to improving customer experiences, personalised product recommendations in emails are another effective way to improve customer retention too.
Reward Loyalty
Rewarding customer loyalty can do tremendous wonders for long-term success.
Offering something as simple as a VIP mailing list can help attract new customers and entice existing customers to make purchases on your store again. A loyalty program is a great way to connect with your customers and give them exclusive access to special offers. Common uses for loyalty programs include:
- Free merchandise
- Exclusive Products
- Points
- Coupons / Discounts
- Special clearance sales
- Birthday deals
The more shoppers trust and appreciate what your brand does, the bigger the chance you have for eCommerce success.
Remember this, retaining existing customers takes time, energy and resources. Once you set your priorities, the greater chance you have to win customer attention, increase loyalty and, more importantly, boost sales.
