5 Ways to Delight Your Customers
In the highly competitive e-commerce space, fulfilling the basic requirements is not going to be enough. Businesses will have to find creative and meaningful ways to standout and build a loyal pool of customers. Here are 5 good ways to do so.
1) We All Love Freebies
Giving out something for free might not sound like any sense. After all, the goal of business is to make profit, not losses.
However, there are proven success that freebies can have a positive effect on sales. Take 7-Eleven’s Free Slurpee Day for example. By giving out cups of free Slurpee, no strings attached, the company actually saw a 38% increase in their sales. According to their findings, many who came to grab the free sample-size Slurpee ended up purchasing a bigger cup which was not part of the giveaway.
This phenomenal can be attributed to the behaviour of reciprocity — a social norm of responding to a positive action with another positive action.
Even for customers who are less likely to conform to social decorum, freebies encourage them to try out new products that they otherwise would not have purchased themselves. Out of those who tried, a fraction of them will possibly like the product and eventually convert into paying customers.
And even if they don’t buy into anything at the end, the freebies would still have put a smile on their faces (because who doesn’t love free stuff, amirite?)It doesn’t have to be anything expensive, really. Even a small simple gift can surprise and delight customers, since it is out of their expectation.
2) The Lost Art: Thank-You Note
If freebies isn’t a viable option for your business, then try Thank-You note. It is one of the simplest yet least expensive way to show your customers you appreciate their trust and patronage.
All the better, if you have the time to write it personally by hand! Your customers don’t care if you have ugly handwriting. It is the thought and sincerity of your simple act that shines through. Especially for small businesses that are just starting out, this can be a really great way to build customer loyalty.
3) Greetings Cards For Good Cheers
A purchase is not the only time you can give thanks to your customers. There are other occasions on which you can send them a reminder to let them know you care, such as birthdays, holidays and even anniversaries!
A survey shows that of customers who received birthday messages from company they do business with, 74% felt more positive about the company afterwards. 88% of those positive reactions were then directly translated to increased brand loyalty.
Ideally, your greeting card should be personalised with your brand’s logo and speaks to your brand’s identity. While you are at it, add in a call to action to increase your conversion.
There is nothing shameful in demonstrating your company’s appreciation while simultaneously and rightfully identifying this effort as an opportunity to make an impression and drum up more business. — Peter Gasca
- Offer a discount for a future order
- Instruct recipients to visit specific landing page for a special holiday message and offer. One that is worth them sharing with their friends over social media
- Ask and offer a reward for referrals
These unexpected gestures help make customers feel important and appreciated. It is also a good way to get in touch with customers who are slipping away. Bring your brand back to the top-of-mind position.
4) Follow Up (Before They Show Up)
In the usual flow of events, customer place an order online, product arrives at his doorsteps a few days later, if he likes it he keeps it and if not then he initiates a return. The end.
To rise above the norm and set yourself apart, go one step further — follow up with your customers. Proactively, not reactively.
Your customer wants to waste neither time nor effort hunting down the right person to raise issue about his unsatisfied purchase. When it comes to this point, the damage is already done. So instead, reach out to them before they have the chance to complain. This approach fosters trust and loyalty.
You don’t have to laboriously call each of them up. The process can be automated. Send them a simple message through a more personal platform which they are checking in more often (e.g. Facebook Messenger). Such automated messages can be set up with Messenger Marketing softwares.
5) Take It Personal
Think back to a time when you visited a cafe so religiously that even the barista could memorise your complicated coffee order. Feels great didn’t it?
Leverage your customer database. With Facebook Messenger, brands can now more efficiently segment their customers. Messenger helps to tag and keep track of all interactions that customer has with the brand. These tags gives you clearer insights to your customer base and allows you to communicate with each and everyone of them in a personal way.
Make each of your customers feel special, and not just one of many.
With the right info, your team can better handle problems and anticipate issues.
In a nutshell…
The next time you want to shove your latest offering into a customer’s face, take a minute to think about what actually makes him happy. Work backwards from there to craft a pleasant purchase experience.
Don’t be overly concerned with revenue. Pave your path right from the start and the money will soon flow in. Prioritising your relationship with customers will eventually build you a loyal following which will continue to frequent your business for the many years to come.
