This will increase the chances of making repeat sales and increasing your profits.
The first step in your customer loyalty campaign is identifying your best customers. These may be the customers who have purchased more than once from your ecommerce store. They could also be those who have spent the most money. In the beginning, it is a good idea to consider all of your customers as your most valuable. That way, you have a greater chance of maintaining customer loyalty for more of them.
After you have determined which of your customers you specifically want to create a long-term relationship with, you must open the lines of communication. Send personal emails to them concerning their purchase. Even if you use an autoresponder to verify their order, you can make it sound quite personal and friendly. Write follow up and thank you emails as well, and make sure that you ship the product to them quickly.
When you have established contact with your customers, you should maintain it by being friendly. Of course, the average ecommerce customer does not want to become your best buddy. That is not the intention. Asking them what their plans are for a product will help you provide better service, and will let you know what other products to offer to them. Keeping a file on your best customers with some basic information is a great idea.
One very important aspect of this personal contact is to make it more than a one-time deal. If your favorite customer has not ordered from you in a while, it is okay to drop them a line and remind them about a special offer or new product that you think they might like. The secret here is to make sure it does not sound like spam. You will create greater customer loyalty by being specific. Instead of “We haven’t heard from you in a while. Would you like to buy a new book?” you should mention more specific things. “Hey Bob, I’m sure you liked the book “Great Rocks of Peru” that you bought from us. I thought you might like “Great Rocks of Brazil,” a new book that just came in.” Keeping it conversationally will help your cause.
Above all else, remembering to thank your customers will increase customer loyalty. Not only should you email a thank you response to them after the sale, you should also include a thank you note in the package you send to them. Setting up a customer rewards program is another great way to build customer loyalty. If a customer buys five items from you, give them a valuable coupon or a free gift.
Building customer loyalty in your ecommerce business is essential for getting repeat sales. It can also increase your word of mouth advertising greatly. The attitude with which you view your customers will show. If you treat them like dollar signs, you will not hold on to them. If you treat them with value and commitment, you will have extreme customer loyalty.
