That’s because attracting new customers will always be expensive, and relying on new buyers as the only source of new revenue is not a sustainable long-term strategy. Instead, you need to focus on creating and consistently increasing the loyal customer base who love your products, are vocal about supporting your brand, and keep buying from you again and again.
But how can you turn a one-time buyer into a repeat customer? Here are a few effective strategies you could try out.
Consider the Needs of Your International Customers
Selling online has revolutionized how far businesses can seek out customers. Even small companies can become global brands, with loyal customers worldwide buying their products for the unique features, brand experience, and a strong reputation.
But for that to happen, you need to maximize the convenience of the customer experience you provide to international buyers. For instance, even something as seemingly simple as implementing a JavaScript currency converter can go a long way in making the buying experience better.
Since there are many currencies used around the world, it’s a good idea to allow prospective buyers to quickly calculate how much your products cost in their local currency. That adds transparency and can make on-the-fence buyers more likely to make the initial purchase and return again.
You should also be very clear about the shipping policies and costs for different regions. Make that information available on a separate page and also consider adding an easy-to-use shipping calculator that shoppers can use on the product page to see how much shipping might cost.
Increase Your Social Media Presence
It’s difficult to imagine succeeding online without a strong social media presence. Even though many companies still get by without it, the sheer amount of ideal customers on various social media platforms makes the potential of getting in front of them too big to ignore.
And one of the best ways to showcase your products on social media and drive sales from fans is through Instagram. It’s a platform that’s ideally suited for displaying your products, their uses, and emphasizing your brand image in the process.
However, building a following on Instagram isn’t easy, especially in the beginning. It will take time before you get more Story views and other engagement. You need to build traction to have engagement and grow naturally, but you need to be aware of many solutions like Trusy, which can quickly get your follower numbers up through fake accounts which you’ll eventually lose.
As you become more visible on Instagram, you can use it as a comprehensive marketing tool, introducing new products to your audience, running special promotions, and utilizing user-generated content to ensure that your best customers remain engaged and eager to buy more.
At the same time, you should not neglect other social media opportunities, either. While Instagram can be incredibly lucrative, you should try to have a presence on all platforms where your audience likes to hang out. For some markets that might be Facebook, for others it might be TikTok, so you should dig deeper into who your best customers are and try to discover where the best places are for creating a loyal following and becoming visible to more ideal buyers.
Provide Top-Notch Customer Support
89% of customers have switched to a competitor after a bad customer service experience. That means that even your most loyal customers can head straight for the competition if you fail to provide help, answer questions, and solve problems with your services quickly.
That’s why the only long-term way to grow your customer base is to put customer service at the forefront of what your business is about. Only when you know that you can quickly address any issues and put out fires can you expect to gradually increase the number of loyal customers who you can rely on for repeat business consistently.
But how can you make your customer support better?
Well, one of the fundamental principles you should consider is providing an omnichannel support system. You need to provide your customers with multiple ways to reach you at any time since most will not bother to look for a contact page and fill out a form.
Instead, you need to be available to help on your social media platforms, implement live chat and chatbot features on your website, and have a line people can call to get answers over the phone. Additionally, you should invest in self service portals so that customers can access information and resolve issues at their convenience, promoting a seamless and flexible support experience. By taking into account user habits and preferences, you can create a more robust and convenient support system that can turn the most disgruntled buyer into a customer that will be more loyal than ever.
And as you become more knowledgeable about the biggest issues your customers face, you can get ahead of many problems, fixing issues and making changes according to the feedback you receive.
Utilize Email Marketing
Email marketing remains the golden standard when it comes to marketing ROI. It’s simply impossible to beat the cost-effectiveness and potential for profits that comes with being able to engage your best customers, again and again, segmenting them based on preferences and actions to create the most personalized content possible.
And yet, many brands still don’t have a clear understanding of how to make email marketing work for their business. So, how can you make email marketing work for your business?
Well, start with creating personalized content that’s relevant to your best buyers. You may not be able to cater to everyone on your list, but you can develop a profile of the ideal buyer who you want to encourage to buy again. And then, simply test and improve until you see the results you want.
Bottom Line
Increasing your customer base is one of the best ways to ensure consistent business growth. And these four strategies are a great starting point for making that happen.