Customer retention means a company is keeping their paying customers coming back over a long period of time. Retaining your customers is crucial for growth and success in any business. It can be hard to retain customers in today’s world, where your competitors are so easy to access for your customers. You know that engaging with your customers and displaying good customer service will keep them coming back.. But there’s got to be more! We’ve broken down the “secret sauce” of customer retention into several tips that actually work. Here they are:
Have a Positive Social Presence
We talk about social all the time, because social is incredibly important. Having a positive social presence means that you have positive reviews online, you post frequently, you have updated information and photos, and you respond to customers through social media. If you’re not already giving your social presence the time of day, today is a great day to start!
Be Confident
Don’t let your competitors discourage you. Be confident in your work and let it show. If customers have questions about the quality or prices of your services, answer with confidence. Let them see that you know you are the best, and you’re not worried about the competition. This will make them more confident in you and your business as well, and will help them to feel more assured.
Reduce “Fees” and Pain Points
This is a big deal in the service industry! So many businesses have surprise fees and costs associated with their work. If you can avoid this, please do. It will really go a long way with your customers if you are up-front and honest about the pricing and what they will receive when they hire you. Don’t try to hide fees for quotes, service calls or anything else. Instead, use your confidence to show them that your pricing is worth it for quality work, and be up-front along the way.
Get to Know Your Customers
People automatically gravitate more to what they know. When it comes to hiring a business, people want to go where they are most comfortable. If you can get to know your customers on a more personal level than just as a customer, you’ll be doing yourself a favor! Become their favorite in the industry by being their friend.
Educate Your Customers
When you complete a service for a customer, give them the tips and knowledge they need to help them out in the future. For example, if they needed you to come out for a landscaping issue and you realize they are over or under-watering their lawn, let them know. If you were hired for a plumbing disaster, and you can see something that could be done to prevent this in the future, educate your customer. Giving them helpful tips and advice will help them to trust you and want to do business with you in the future.
Create a Loyalty Program
People love earning a free or reduced-price on a service. When you have customers frequenting your business, it’s in your best interest to look out for their best interest. This means that creating a loyalty program will keep your customers coming back because they want to earn enough points to get a discount (or whatever you want to offer). Not only will this keep current customers coming back, but it’s also a great way to win over new customers.
Focusing on these things will help you with customer retention, which is necessary to keeping your business thriving. If you aren’t already doing these things, give them a try!
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!