Everyone knows that it is much more expensive to obtain a new customer than it is to bring your current customers back through your door. One of your biggest goals, as a business owner, for 2019 should be to reel your customers back in. Why? Because you’ll make money, save money and continue to build a loyal customer-base. Your loyal customers are crucial to your business, and we have some ideas for you to bring them back in 2019:

Engage with a New-Year Promo

Who doesn’t love saving money? The new year is the perfect time to send out a promo to your existing customers. Why? Because not only are you sending them a deal for their New Year’s resolution of saving money, but you’re also bringing customers back to your business at just the right time. Consider sending out an email and/or text campaign to your previous and current customers letting them know that you’re offering a discount on their first service of the year. This is a great reminder for them about your business and it’s a perfect reason for them to choose you over your competitors.

Engaging with your customers is the #1 way to ensure you’re creating loyal customers out of one-time business. Engaging and including a promotion is your #1 way of ensuring that those customers are inclined to use your business again when the year begins.

Engage with a Business Update

Has your business changed at all? Maybe over the past year you’ve updated the list of products and services you offer. Maybe you’ve started focusing more on customer service or higher quality products. Have your business hours changed for the new year? Whatever it may be, sending out a business update to all of your former customers will remind them about your business, while also subtly telling them why they should choose you over the competition.

If you haven’t made any changes or updates in your business, the end of the year is an ideal time for business owners to review every aspect of their business to be sure there are no changes that need to be made. If you notice that you’re not selling as much of a specific product or service as you used to, it’s time to determine why that is. If you’ve received negative feedback about your customer service, it might be time for a personnel change or some updated training. Either way, keep your customers in the loop so they know why they should choose your business every time.

Focus on Social Media

Roughly 200 million people in the United States regularly use social media. What does this mean for your business? You need to be engaging with your customers on social media frequently! The new year brings on a new set of goals for everyone, including businesses. If you aren’t already focusing on your social media presence, make that a goal for the year. Your business should have profiles on as many social outlets as possible. Not only do you need to have profiles that are showing up when your customers search for you, but they should be updated profiles with current information and photos. The other most important aspect of social media is that you’re actually utilizing it how you should be. This means you’re engaging with your customers: posting relevant content, responding to comments and reviews, asking questions and getting conversations going online. Engaging with your customers through social media is a simple and free way to get those customers back through your door in 2019.

Happy New Year and Happy Engaging!

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!