Marketing Ideas for Small Business
By Max Patel, January 23, 2017.
It is no secret that a repeat customer at your store can get you a much bigger return on investment than a new customer. A repeat customer is more likely to order more, refer others to your business increasing word of mouth, and provide reviews and helpful feedback for your small business.
Once you have defined a local marketing strategy to get new visitors to your business, it is equally important to build their sense of customer loyalty quickly. That customer loyalty is born of welcoming them on their first visit and adding a personal touch to service from the get-go. Below is an important checklist every small business owner should follow to increase customer satisfaction through a healthy customer experience.
1) Welcome them with a smile…every time
Whether you own a mom and pop shop or a fully staffed franchise, train your staff to be warm and welcoming at all times—even to customers who have not made a purchase yet. This goes a long way in the overall customer experience and will keep those customers coming back because they feel welcome.
2) Define your reward program strategy
A loyal customer not only comes back but also brings a new customer with them!
The first rule of building customer loyalty is to initiate a customer’s next visit even before the first ends. Having a reward program for your small business helps you do just that. Write personalized thank you cards for your new customers when they visit and offer a point-based reward system.
3) Incorporate themed promotions
Our last post highlighted the top ways to build a customer base and the importance of networking in your local neighborhood. This is hugely important in identifying opportunities to gain repeat customers. Always be on the lookout for events happening in the neighborhood (or even national celebrations) and be prepared to roll out thematic promotions like Easter promotions, St. Patrick’s Day specials, and similarly themed deals throughout the year. Short-term promotions will help you get new customers and will also refuel the interest of repeat customers.
4) Value customer retention
Make sure your high-profit customers are retained and leave satisfied every time they walk in or do business with you. This could be a large group or even a single customer who offers loads of referrals. As a small business owner, it is important that you identify the customers who fuel your business the most. They are worth the extra attention and will, eventually, provide a good return on your investment.
5) Find ways to engage with your customers—personally
As a local business owner, you’re less likely to fall out if you constantly engage with your customers. Always find an excuse to send out a message, promotion, or reward to your customer. With the growth in information around us and the many technological tools at our disposal, we can do this in a number of different ways. Automated marketing campaigns, engaging social media posts, and personalized email campaigns are just a few of the small business marketing strategies that keep customers engaged in your business.
6) Gather and conquer using your small business resources
Document and build out that group of loyal customers who can be offered personalized promotions and rewards every once in a while. By promoting your local business using small business resources like email marketing, social media advertising and offering customer rewards for repeat visits, you increase the likelihood that they’ll share positive feedback about your business with their peers—which, of course, is free marketing for your business.
These loyal customers are one of your most powerful marketing tools for small business as you expand and solidify customer loyalty.
We at Welcomemat understand the importance of establishing repeat customers and have already identified the right strategy to increase customer loyalty.
Speak to your local Welcomemat representative to learn more about these marketing ideas for small business and how promoting your small business in the neighborhood can be made easy with Welcomemat.