5 Ways to Boost Customer Retention and Drive Repeat Business

Have you heard this lately: “We need more leads.” 

In marketing, we often focus on getting new leads and customers into your business, but what about the leads you already have? It’s time to think about boosting your customer retention and bringing them back over and over again.

Keeping happy customers is the best way to grow a business. Repeat customers spend an average of 67% more than new customers and it’s five times more expensive to get new customers than it is to retain the ones we have.

So why aren’t we taking care of our customers and selling them more?

Let’s break down five strategies you can implement in your business to cultivate customer loyalty.

FREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your website

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Transcript

087 - customer retention
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[00:00:00] 

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone) & BRIO 4K Stream Edition: Have you been thinking this lately? We need more leads. It can feel like marketing is just constantly about getting new leads and customers. Into your business, but what about the leads and the customers you already have? Now it's time to think about boosting your customer retention and bringing them back. Over and over again. No, why are we neglecting, trying to keep our current customers? 

Because the misconception of many businesses is that we need new leads to scale and build revenue. Now the reality is repeat customers. Can spin an average of 67%. More the new customers. Plus it's five times more expensive to get those new customers than it is to keep the ones we have. So why aren't [00:01:00] we taking care of our customers and just selling them more? Let's break down five strategies you can implement in your business. To cultivate customer loyalty.

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone) & BRIO 4K Stream Edition-1: Number one, we want to make every single touch point count. And once someone signs on the dotted line, I think we forget this a lot and decides to work with you. That is not the end of it. We are not done. We have to keep winning them over again. And again. It's kind of like a relationship. You can't just sign a customer and think that they're going to stay with you forever. 

You have to keep working for them and working to build that entire relationship and make sure that it's still beneficial for them. Or they're going to find somebody else who's going to do that for them. So every single time you talk to them or your business gets in front of them, you need to keep this in mind. No, a few things that you might want to remember [00:02:00] is, you know, and think about how you're talking to your customers. 

What happens when they email you? What happens when they get an email from you? Whether that's a in-person one-on-one email. Or simply a mass email. What happens when they need help? What do they do? Who do they talk to? Where do they go? What happens when they come across your social media? When they just see your business out there in the wild, what happens? There are so many places that our customers can find us anymore, that we need to keep in mind where they might be seeing us. Just in general. Let's let's talk about emails for a second. When you're a customer needs, help or support, how do they get it? Now for many of us, many of us was service-based businesses. We just get requests right into our inbox. You might have to have, you might have some kind of a [00:03:00] communication or ticketing system, depending on what you do. But that doesn't stop people from reaching out directly either. For instance, we have a support ticket form for existing customers, but most of them prefer to send an email. Why is that? Because it's personal. They love getting to talk directly to a human being that they know is going to take care of them. When you get those emails. Number one thing is just to answer them. Answer the emails. 

I know that's crazy thought, right? Now the best form of customer support in emails is just to answer them when they come in within a reasonable timeframe. For me, that means one business day. I don't like to let an email go for longer than that because I don't want people to feel like I'm ignoring them. No, I do. 

I always have an answer or something done. Like if they sit in a request, absolutely not. But [00:04:00] my assistant can at least respond that we've one received the email and two we're looking into it. Just a simple acknowledgement can go a long way while we're trying to figure out where this can fit into our schedule. Now. You also want to make help, easy to find. Do you use a ticketing system or some kind of support? Then make that easy to find anywhere, but especially your website. 

Listen, no one wants to bookmark your link. They just want to be able to find it when they need it. So add that link to your website's footer that just says support, and it can go to your court, current support system, or a form or someplace where people can write in and say that they need help. Now we'll sum. Non-customers try to use your support. Yeah, maybe, but they could. That could be a good way to capture some of those new leads to [00:05:00] right. You can at least reach out and say, Hey, this, this is for our current customers, but can I help you with X, Y, and Z that you just sent in about. Now. The other thing that we want to keep in mind is everything. 

No matter where they find you should look. The same. When your customer find your business on social media? Or goes to your website or even sees an ad for you. Everything should look consistent. The biggest way to kill referrals from potential. First potential customers from your current customers is to confuse your customer base about what you do in general. Well, I know they helped me with this, but, uh, this says they also do that. 

Is that my vendor, this doesn't really feel like it goes together. Right. You want to make sure everything flows and matches and looks like your business. It's branded. That's all. It is. Just make sure that no matter what [00:06:00] content you're putting out. Everything has the same flow, the same colors, the same language. 

And it just feels like you're a business. 

Now our second tip here. You might want to keep a record with a CRM. Now if a new person joined your team tomorrow. Would you be able to quickly catch them up on your customers? Or does the very thought of that fill you with dread? It might be time to explore a CRM. Now, a CRM or a customer relationship management platform is just a fancy way of having a basically saying that you have a database. That allows you to track your customers easily. 

So in one glass glance, you can see who is on what package, when their payments are due. A record of emails sent out, perhaps like contracts, all of these things. Should be, or can be in one place. Now, this [00:07:00] can be a huge benefit to not only helping your team, but helping you provide better service. So especially when you have a process in place to check in on your customer data, whether that's your job or the sales team, or. Whatever your structure looks like you can see who might be prime for an upgrade in their service. Maybe a new offer that you're talking about launching or just who might need a little extra attention. Just a little, little something there that says, Hey, we haven't talked to them awhile. 

Let's send them overly friendly. Hello. And let them know that we're here. 

It's also much easier for your team to track everything. Then I want to is when you have stuff in a glorified spreadsheet, right? Spreadsheets only gonna get you so far. Having an actual system helps make all of this whole lot easier.

Now some CRMs allow you to send invoices and even accept payments, sign contracts, and more. So you quite literally have [00:08:00] everything in one spot. Not all of you is work the best and it kind of depends on what you need, but it is really nice when you can have more in one place. Now, if you've been wanting to explore CRMs, I have a few LinkedIn today's show notes for you. 

Some of the most popular include HubSpot HoneyBook, even project management tools like click up can allow you to. Uh, create your own customer database.

Now our third tip, offer some referral bonuses and deals. If you want to keep your customers loyal. And get them to send people to you, give them some incentives to do so. Right. Make it really easy, but also like give them a little something, something for their time. We often think of customer incentives. As things like 10% off coupons or star wards, we get from drinking too much Starbucks. You know, maybe, maybe. That might not be the best case for you and your business after all you're selling services worth thousands of [00:09:00] dollars, not a cup of coffee for six bucks. One way you can show your customers. 

You care is to send random small gifts. Treats are always popular, especially if there's a team and they're in office. You can send a. Just a really quick, simple treat box. Just say, thank you. Maybe you offer a small service for free. Uh, a little check-in or an audit. Or even provide them some kind of referral bonus when they send people your way. 

Now, this is the best way to let your customers sell for you. Honestly for most of us, especially in the service industry. Our best customers can refer us our next best customer. Referrals make up a huge amount of in these service based business. So if you're keeping your customers happy, your current customers happy. Are there going to be more likely when a buddy says, who should I [00:10:00] use for this to automatically refer you? An easy way to encourage them to refer your business is just offer a simple dollar incentive. Now for my business, I've offered 5% discounts on future services. When their referral signs contracts, they have to actually sign something. 

They have to sign on the dotted line. They have to become a customer. But then I give them. 5% off the next time they work with me. My favorite web hosting company, for instance offers a $200 finder's fee for every new customer. I send them. Whatever you choose to do, make sure that they know that you're openly communicating that with them, that you offer some kind of referral bonus. And then simply ask them to sell for you. It's amazing how many people are quite literally just waiting for permission to hear that you have an opening to be able to send people your way. 

Now our fourth tip. I want you to ask for feedback. [00:11:00] Eh, one of the best way to connect with your customers and to keep them coming back. Uh, you just ask them. You ask them to keep coming back. You ask them what they need from you. That's it. I know it can be a little scary for feedback and oddly kind of personal, even if you are just the marketing director of this team, right. But every single one of my customers has always been happy to do it. You don't have to ask them all that often, but it's a great idea to send out a survey to all of your customers once or twice a year. 

Just check in and see how they're feeling about working with you. Because not only is this going to help you figure out what's working well and can inform your strategy. Two. Get new customers, right? Because you see what people like and help you make those messaging connections. But it can also show you where there are some things to work on that you can improve. The last year [00:12:00] I sent out an annual survey, um, and I do this at the end of big website bills and other big projects. 

And basically. Said, Hey. What do you think about working with us? Listen, I'm always amazed at how many things. I think have gone unnoticed during a project. That don't. No compliments. Make me uneasy, not a giant fan of being told that I do a good job, even though. Uh, you know, everybody likes hearing of it, but also it's really hard for me for whatever reason. But I love hearing how much they loved my team, this small thing, or just our positive attitude in general, or the fact that we answer emails. 

It's amazing how many people were like talk about the fact that we. Actually communicate in a timely manner. Crazy concept. I know. 

Now if you aren't sure what to put in your survey, here are some of the questions that we included that were really eye opening for us to get responses back last year. [00:13:00] Okay. Number one. Why did you choose to work with us? This helps, you know, what your competitive advantages, what makes you unique in the industry and how your customers are seeing that uniqueness also really good to go and inform your messaging. 

Second question. How do you find our communication style? This could help you. Get new customers and help you double down on things or could help you find those gaps. And things that you can be working on. Number three. What do you like about working with us? 

Positive vibes only on this one. Right. But we want to hear what's good. 

What's going well. And then how would you describe our working relationship? This is where you might get some feedback that you're not as happy about, but it's probably going to help you make better choices and then make some improvements. And then what would you say about working with us and the results? 

Here's why this one is key when you're going and talking to new people, new leads, trying to get customers. It's really [00:14:00] good to have. Tangible results from customers and how you made them feel the actual transformation that you're helping them get. Right? This is huge. So when you can have in their own words, what it's like to work with you and how they feel about the results you got, it's really easy to turn that around. And help sell other people, but it's also easy to go back to them and say, Hey. You know how you really liked this and how you were felling. 

We got here. We were really good result here. I think we should do X, Y, Z, and we can get you more of the same. We can double that, whatever it is we're going to do. 

When you go and ask for feedback, you're going to get a wealth of information that can make. Help you make their lives better. Your customer's lives better. And keep them with you. Right. You just have to actually implement the feedback when you get it. And that's our fifth tip here. Right? We're going to create [00:15:00] valuable content. And if you want to keep your customers coming back. Sometimes you have to remind them that you're even there to begin with. With some great content that can help them. So, this is where the feedback is fantastic because when you've asked for that feedback, You're going to know better. 

What kind of topics are going to help your current and future customers? Right. You're going to know exactly what they're trying to get. Exactly the results they're looking for. Exactly what their pain points are, because they're literally telling you that. When you ask for feedback, right? Creating content gets a lot easier. When you have ask your audience what they want to hear about. It also helps you connect better with them. 

Your dream client is going to continue to feel seen and heard because you've quite literally heard them. And are delivering what they want help with. 

I know this doesn't sound that mind blowing, but you'd be surprised. [00:16:00] How often we forget this. Even, even people that have been marked been working in marketing for 20 years, how often we forget how important this is. Now here's the other thing, the great thing about creating consistent content. When you release some kind of content on a schedule, I think weekly is best. You're also creating an expectation. Your audience will know that you put out a podcast or a video every week, and they're going to start going, looking for it on your website and all your channels. 

Right. They're going to know it's there. They're going to go out and look for that. Getting in front of your customers every single week. Helps to reinforce why they're choosing to continue to work with you and allows you to build a relationship with them. And a little bit different way than just saying here, I did this for you. 

Now give me the money. 

I mean, that's also fun, but we want to have a [00:17:00] little bit more of a, a. Give and take, shall we say. 

Now I want you to turn whatever content you're creating and to Google friendly content. And by that, I mean, you can create whatever content works best for you, whether that's videos, podcasts, even longer, social media posts, maybe LinkedIn articles, but I encourage you to take whatever you're creating and put it to use on your block. Blog articles are the best way to build up your SEO impact and help you get found through Google and other search engines. You can harness the SEO magic of blogging. To help bring traffic to your website. And provide great in-depth content. That answers your customer's questions. And continues. To build trust with them. Now, how can you ensure that your customers are going to actually even see this content you're creating? [00:18:00] Email it to them, like generally speaking, just quite literally email them, email them. 

When you have a new article out, if you publish a weekly or monthly newsletter to your email list, that includes your current clients. You're missing out on that potential. If you're not sharing the great content you're creating. Take a bit from whatever article that you're writing, whatever video. Whatever podcast you're creating and tell your customers exactly why they're going to want to read it. And then send that out. In an email blast with a link to it, right. 

You might want to share. Uh, some other company or industry news with them and the same email. So you have a couple sections to it. But the key here is that your content. Is the center of attention. That's what you wanted to click on. That's where you want them to go look at. You want to show them that you're creating free content? 

That feels like it was written, [00:19:00] especially for them. 

Listen, if you want your customers to stick with you for the long haul. It's all about making the customer experience memorable. 

You can get a ton of people through your virtual doors and have them choose to work with you. But if you're not doing the work to keep them. Then you're wasting your time and money. And invest in your customer experience and make working with you a great experience from start two years to come. 

Thank you for tuning in. I'll see you next week.