Most businesses struggle with transferring one-time leads into loyal customers. New customers might try your services at first because of a discount or a deal, but ultimately they want to be educated and informed without feeling overwhelmed and pushed into something.
Finding that delicate line between educating and advertising can be tricky but it’s not impossible. Once you’ve found that line, discovering the best steps for turning new leads into loyal customers is key to long-term business growth.
Here are 5 steps that have helped us turn one-time customers into loyal business:
Communicate with Customer
This is basic necessity for any business. Add your customers to an email newsletter, send them reminder texts and/or cards, mail out or drop off a monthly flier on your rounds, or implement a tech platform to automate this for you (enter FreshLime:). Dedicating time to creating and maintaining a database and relationship with customers will increase their probability up to 10x and keep them coming back again for your service or products.
At FreshLime, we split our focus and time between advertising and educating our current and future customers about the current trends in the industry. This variety in educative and advertorial communication allows growth of trust between our brand and our customer base.
Allow for Company Transparency
Transparency is becoming more crucial than ever, thanks to online reviews (both good and bad) and the importance of quality customer service. Customers want to be reassured that they won’t be taken advantage of or get false information; transparency and well-trained employees prove over and over that reassurance and honesty is desired and will go a long way – especially when problems arise.
Introduce the Humans Behind the Brand
Introducing the human element behind the brand or business develops a deeper relationship with current and future customers. Presenting a personality will reinforce and inspire meaningful communication to customers on who you are, what your culture represents, and what exactly you can do for them. If you run and small business and it’s only you or a few others that’s OK! People want to do business with people, not brands. Be your own brand.
One way we’ve introduced the people behind FreshLime to potential and current customers is through LIVE Facebook videos that are focused on our employees’ honest thoughts and feelings of FreshLime and what we do for local businesses. These videos are a great way to combine company transparency, communicating with customers, and presenting the people who make all this happen day in and day out.
Ask customers about their pain points
Now that you have a loyal reader of your email newsletter and have shown your transparency through your team and other human-aspects of the business, it’s time to focus on what exactly your customer needs from you. Don’t shy away from asking simple, specific questions in your newsletters like “What marketing questions do you have for us?” or “What topics do you want us to cover in the blog?” Asking similar questions shows customers that you care and that you want to help solve their problem and expound on what will really help them.
Craft a powerful experience
Whether it is for a new lead or a loyal customer, you should strive to give both a powerful experience to remember your business. You want them to have an experience that makes them say, “Wow, that’s amazing!” And furthermore, it is possible! Focus on what your customers want. If you can give that to them they will find more value in what you offer.
At FreshLime, we understand how special our customers are and we have various ways of showing it. It can be through gift cards, lunch on us, free FreshLime swag, and much more! Creating a powerful experience for all customers will encourage repeat business and as a bonus, more positive reviews in your favor.
Your loyal customers weren’t formed overnight; so remember it takes time to find the best steps that work for your business. Transferring leads into loyal customers is a well-rewarding challenge and these steps will only increase your chance of receiving that sweet reward.
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!