Repeat customers are the lifeblood of your business. It is far easier and cost effective to sell to an existing customer than to find a new one. According to Marketing Metrics, you are 50% more likely to sell to an existing customer than a new one. In fact, marketing to a new customer is 7 times more expensive than maintaining an existing customer. There is also a chance that you might not succeed in convincing new customers to make a purchase. it is clear that a lot of energy should be focused on turning one time customers into repeat ones. On the average, your loyal customers are worth up to 10 times as much as their first purchase.

How do you convert new customers into repeat ones? Here are 6 ways that you can achieve this:

• Provide excellent customer service – Great customer service is very important and should not be underestimated. 89% of customers have stopped doing business with a company because of bad customer service.  It takes 12 positive customer experiences to make up for a negative experience. 70% of customers buy based on how they feel they are being treated. Good customer service is as important as the product itself. Putting maximum effort into making your customer feel important and valued will encourage them to patronize you. For example, remembering repeat orders, greeting your customers by name and building relationships make all the difference.
• Build an email list- A proper email list is a great asset to your business. Invite new customers to sign up to your email list, and sending them relevant content. These content can range from product announcements, sales announcements, and event invitations. Doing this will encourage them to remember you. However, try not to send too many messages or spam them because they are likely to tag you as annoying and refuse to make any other purchases. It is also a good idea to send them a ‘special’ deal once in a while that will make them feel important. For example, ‘Because we value you, we’re giving you 10% off all purchases you make this week’.
• Create a loyalty program– A loyalty or referral programme is really great for retaining customers. The incentive of a reward encourages them to buy more, or refer new customers to you. For example, promising that they get 50% off every fifth purchase, or get a free purchase by referring a friend will encourage them to take action.

• Be consistent – One of the ways to get customers to keep coming back is by always offering an excellent product or service. Product inconsistency makes you lose your customers’ trust. Set guidelines and standards, and train your staff properly. This will help you ensure that your customers get the same excellent experience every time.
  
• Exceed customer expectations– It always pays to go the extra mile!. Doing things like adding thank you cards to orders, sending birthday cards on your customers’ birthdays and offering discounts will earn you a customer for life.
  
• Retarget customers- You can re-engage your customers by retargeting them. Try not to blast them with ads, but make sure you remain visible enough that they are inspired to patronize you again. Using dynamic retargeting ads can be a huge win as you can display specific images to each user. 

Your customers are your greatest asset as a business. Providing them with a seamless experience for them will definitely reap financial rewards. Branding also influences repeat purchases. Your online presence must create an amazing experience for your customers if you wish to keep them coming back. Atlas creative consultancy can help you create the perfect online platform that suits the needs of your business and serves your customers well. Send us an email, and let us know how we can help!