No matter what medium you are using to sell, you should always be thinking about ways to entice customers to repeat buy. What can you do to turn an experience that most people carry out every day into something memorable?
Here's my 3-step guide:
Step 1: Exceptional Communication
Most people are so world-weary when it comes to purchasing items, both online and off. They'll be just going through the usual buying motions unless you make it different somehow.
Good communication is one way of doing this. Despite the fact that people communicate every day, few people do it really well. Try putting more care and attention into your communications, whether in person or by email. Make sure that you are always prompt in replying to a customer and try putting a few good old-fashioned values back into customer service. Be polite, genuine, prompt and enthusiastic.
In particular, take the time to email your buyers at key stages of the purchasing process. For example, email your buyer when they make a purchase, when they make a payment, and when the item is shipped. You can also go the extra mile and email them after they get their item in the mail. This really shoes that you care about their customer satisfaction.
Step 2: Give Something Extra
When packaging up a purchase, throw something extra in as a thank you token. Sure it's not a new idea, but people never tire of a nice surprise. It could be a short, handwritten note saying something like: 'Jessica, Thank you for your custom. Hope to see you back at Animal Collectibles soon! Signed, Bob'.
Or it could be an object such as a magnet, candy, a small sample of another item you offer, or a discount voucher for repeat purchases. This not only shows that you value their custom, but also that you are generous, and not just out to make a quick buck.
Online buyers love this, so I highly recommend that you give it a try!
Step 3: Keeping in Contact
It's important to remind your customers of your presence after they have purchased. One of the best ways of doing this is by giving your customers the opportunity to sign up and receive an email newsletter and/or regular news updates from your business such as new product lines.
Don't forget to send these out at Christmas time when buyers are looking for special or unique gifts for their loved ones. Just include a link at the bottom of your invoice email or a check box and email entry box at the bottom of a paper invoice.
A great option for email newsletters is FlutterMail. They offer a $1 trial so you can test it out before you commit.
Keep in mind that there are two important reasons for increasing repeat sales; 1) retaining past buyers is much more cost-effective than attracting new ones and 2) it's also a heck of a lot easier. Therefore, it's so worth going the extra mile to keep your buyers coming back for more!
If you want to learn more about how to retain customers and make repeat sales, check out our video training course, Online Selling Tactics and learn PowerSeller strategies that work!
