Cheaper to Keep Her (Part 1)

Today I have two articles on customer retention. The first is from MarketingProfs.com

Tips to Keep 'em Coming Back

We all know the adage: It costs far more to get a new customer than to keep one you already have. And in today's economic climate, customer retention has become a precious commodity in its own right. So, how do you keep 'em coming back?

In a recent guest post at the Return Customer blog, Joseph Eitan offers a few timely tips to ensure customers stay happy and loyal. Among them:

Respond to emails within 15 minutes. "In the viral world, it is very hard to cause a customer to say 'Wow!', but it's not impossible," Eitan notes. His advice: "[M]ake it a business policy to respond [to emails] as soon as possible." Your best bet: respond while the customer is still at your site. Score!

Create a variety of 'new' offers. Some folks love a price drop, some value free delivery. Diversify your offers "to keep your products as appealing to [a wide range of customers] as the first time they bought from you," he advises.

Walk and talk like a pro. To encourage loyalty, "become an authority on the product or service you offer," Eitan says. "The brand image, the language you use, and the level of service offered should all spell professionalism."

Surprise 'em. "Do something beyond what you have to," Eitan suggests. "Send a promotion code to loyal customers, create a high-quality how-to guide sharing your extensive industry experience," or just send them emails on their birthdays. They'll love the attention.

The Po!nt: If you please them, they will stay. What's the bottom line for customer retention in tough times? "Just show you really care," Eitan says.

Source: Return Customer. Read the full post here.

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