You got a sale! Woohoo!
But wait–did you think we would be done when the customer bought your product?
Fortunately for us, the purchase step is not the end of the Trail to the Sale™. If you stop at this point, you’re leaving money on the table. Here’s why:
You have a 5-20% chance of selling to a new customer, but a 60-70% chance of selling to an existing one. Given these odds, you’ll want to make it easy for customers to do more business with you. So the more you impress the customer, the more likely they are to become a loyal customer and tell others.
Wow them with your product and service
Your customers will be evaluating you on the quality of your product, their experience with the purchase process, even their experience with you after they buy.
If your product doesn’t meet their expectations, or if they are unhappy with any part of the purchase process, they will tell others before they will tell you. So it’s smart to follow up with your customers after the purchase to see if they had a positive experience.
A simple email follow-up, or a quick “are you happy with your purchase?” poll embedded in the email will help you know if they are fully satisfied.
Also encourage happy customers to respond on rating sites, such as Yelp, Google, Facebook, etc. Giving customers incentives for reviewing your business, such as a monthly drawing for a gift card, encourages people to do it.
Let them know the next step
Having a related follow-up product for each stage of the customer’s journey not only helps you make continued sales, it helps them meet their ongoing needs. Ask yourself what your customer needs after they’ve had success with the offer they’ve bought.
If you’re selling an online product, you can easily set up an trigger to send the email a certain number of days or weeks after their purchase, suggesting what they might need next. For example, an Introduction to Yoga buyer might need an Intermediate Yoga class next. Or the purchase of a usable product such as shampoo might need refills.
Customer loyalty programs
I am a sucker for free stuff. I have a Starbucks gold level customer rewards card that I keep in my wallet with pride (even though I use the app instead). I load money on the card or app, pay with it for my coffees, and I get stars, Starbucks’ version of points.
I can cash my stars in and get free coffees, bakery or food items. But my favorite thing is reaching the 400 star level when I can cash them in for a free cup or mug. Do I need a cup or mug? Not at all. But for me, these rewards are tangible evidence that Starbucks appreciates my loyalty. And I’m not alone. Starbucks has more than 24 million active members, equating 51% of all purchases in US stores. They have achieved their goal of a personalized customer loyalty experience, making them feel special and appreciated. And isn’t that what we want our customers to feel too?
Ideas for your business
If Starbucks can pull it off with their millions of customer loyalty customers, we can certainly do the same with our small businesses. Here are some ideas:
- Point cards for frequent visitors
- Thank you cards for referrals or large purchases
- Birthday gifts: freebies, bonuses or deep discounts
- Special workshops or offers
- Club, VIP or status recognition that offer discounts or programs
- Monthly raffles
- Beta program invitations
- Access to exclusive products or bonuses
- Tiered membership status based on purchases
- Early access to new products or sales
- Future-use coupons
- Free services, such as gift-wrapping or shipping
Things to keep in mind to make your bonus program a success
- Make is simple. The beauty of Starbucks, Sephora or even Kohl’s Cash is that their programs are simple to use. Easy to sign up, easy to stay informed.
- Get to know your ideal customer, and their wants, needs and especially their motivation. Like the photographer who gave me a 10% off thank you discount, offering the wrong thing can alienate your customers. Not sure what they’d like? Ask them on social media or in a survey.
- Keep track of purchases for your customers. Whether you’re tracking points, sales or visits, if the customer has to keep track of it themselves, it becomes a hindrance for them.
- Make sure to follow the rules and know the laws of your state. Certain types of promotions are not legal in every area (such as raffles). Consult a lawyer if you’re not sure.
No matter how small (or big) your business is, you can make your customers smile with outstanding after-sale service and customer loyalty programs. They will bring customers to your door, and happy that they have decided do business with you.
