Keeping an existing customer is much easier and less expensive than attracting a new one. Customer follow-up empowers your business to do exactly that. It's an integral part of competing in today’s busy, global retail industry. Shoppers expect a more personalized relationship with the brands they give their money to.
Effective post-sale marketing strategies do more to fuel future purchases than many other marketing options. Consumers want to feel like an important part of the brand story. They want a connection to the products they choose that goes beyond the "Buy Now" button.
The following eight ideas for customer management will help you master the process and give shoppers what they want so they grow to love your brand for all that it stands for.
1. Thank shoppers for their purchase
Appreciation goes both ways. There's no doubt that a company is thankful for every sale they make, but if you don't tell the shopper who spent their money, they won’t benefit from the process as much as they could. Send a thank you email or text message immediately after the purchase goes through as a purposeful close to the sales process.
This not only boosts the customer experience further toward the positive side, but it is a convenient way to share order details. When the product gets shipped, make sure to thank them again while sharing the tracking number or other pertinent information. Sneak in an upsell or a special offer at the same time, but do not stuff the message full of ads.
2. Personalized product recommendations
The ability to track the sales process and consumer behavior data with a tool like Clientbook makes this method for successful follow-up a breeze. Gather information about what an individual looks for most often and send out a personalized message that promotes exactly what they need and want. Product updates or new versions of past purchases can encourage new sales opportunities.
This option for customer services goes beyond simple segmentation of your list. It treats every shopper like an individual. Not only do you get products in front of the people most likely to buy them, but they get a more familiar and friendlier experience with your brand. When the marketing department and sales team engage in customer relationship management like this, everyone benefits.
3. Announce an upcoming promo or event
Stick with the concept of offering a personal touch when sending out announcements for upcoming sales, holiday specials, new product releases, or events of interest in your community. Yes, you should absolutely announce a 20% off special on all wool sweaters during the winter sale to everyone, for example, but the results will only get better if you target shoppers with an interest in wool products or cold-weather items in the past. Brand reputation may suffer if you send the same message to a shopper in Florida who only buys beach wear.
What type of events get the most attention in customer follow-up email or text messages? That depends on a wide variety of factors and the data you collect over a period of time. Always consider value for the individual over all other metrics.
4. Customer feedback requests
Ask buyers to review and rate the products they purchase and their experience with the ecommerce site or your company in general. Not only will this re-engage their interest, but it will also provide you with valuable feedback to make improvements. When you know your customer preferences, you can make strategic changes. Perhaps most importantly, it increases the chance of getting all-important social proof through customer-created content.
Occasional customer satisfaction surveys demonstrate that your company appreciates their efforts. Follow-up messages that provide graphics or other premade post details for their Instagram or Facebook pages encourage word-of-mouth advertising, too.
5. Opt-In suggestions for SMS or email marketing
Most consumers have their preferred mode of communication and contact: email, SMS, social media, etc. However, with the popularity of omnichannel marketing these days and the wealth of options available to retailers, it makes sense to suggest others.
Make each one have a unique benefit. Text messages are quick and easy to manage. Emails to customers may include valuable articles about fashion, home decorating, or whatever your niche involves.
6. Loyalty program engagement
If your brand has a loyalty program of any kind, customer follow-up messages offer the perfect opportunity to introduce them. If the buyer is already signed up, let them know the benefits they received from the most recent shopping experience.
For example, if they get a discount after a certain number of purchases, let them know how close they are. You can combine this with a gentle cross or upsell to encourage additional sales. Loyal customers represent a brand’s best bet for repeat sales and social proof.
7. Abandoned cart follow-up
Shoppers abandon items in their online shopping carts for a variety of reasons. However, a gentle nudge or reminder can sometimes be all it takes to transform distraction or indecision into a sale. Use sales follow-up emails or texts to remind them of their interest in the specific products and encourage them to complete the process.
Transform potential customers into sure things. This can even be a great opportunity to ask why they didn’t complete it the first time. The more information your company has about a shopper's thought process, the better equipped you are to make beneficial changes down the road.
8. Follow-up calls
While text messages and emails often see better response rates than phone calls, the occasional follow-up call can still be an effective strategy, especially for your loyal customers who you already have an established relationship with.
This is an effective follow-up method when the goal isn't to earn more of their business, but to simply maintain a positive customer relationship. After all, customer interactions are just as important to your business as getting products off the shelves.
Follow-up techniques and best practices
No matter what follow-up messages you send to your customer base, always make sure to follow best business practices and all necessary regulations. These include:
- Automate the process for efficiency and speed
- Personalize communications
- Use multiple channels to reach buyers where they are
- Practice smart segmentation of your contact list
- Gather follow-up performance data for analysis
- Follow all SMS or email anti-spam and privacy regulations
How can Clientbook help with customer follow up?
Data collected every time a customer browses or buys on your ecommerce site translates into numerous opportunities to build brand reputation and engage more sales. Clientbook’s data collection, tracking, and analysis features gives you everything you need to make smart decisions about management and care throughout the customer journey. Future business success grows from today’s numbers and the ability to leverage them through effective marketing techniques. Customer follow-up is just one aspect of this, but it offers the power to impress that you need to profit.
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