Customers are the backbone of a successful business.
Because the more customers who buy from you, the higher you can increase your conversions and profits.
And who doesn't want that, right?
But there is an easier way to get more orders...
Through your former customers. They are customers that you could turn into repeat customers.
And wait, I'm not saying turning them into repeat customers is easy.
Because here's the thing...
Even if it's less challenging than customer acquisition, you still need to come up with ways to turn them into repeat customers.
And that's what you'll learn today...
- Learn the difference between repeat customers and returning customers
- The important benefits of repeat customers for your eCommerce store
- 7 quick and easy ways to turn your past sales into repeat customers
Before we get into the tips on turning them into repeat customers, let's discuss the difference between...
Repeat Customers Vs. Returning Customers
Repeat customers and returning customers have the same idea. They both decided to come back to your online store.
But here's the difference.
Returning customers are those who purchased from your eCommerce store once, then decided to come back again.
While repeat customers are those who buy from your online store every once in a while.
Repeat customers consider you as their go-to when it comes to a certain product or service.
And here's why...
Why are repeat customers important?
You should pursue more repeat customers because they are...
1. Less inexpensive than acquisition
The acquisition phase can be challenging.
You will need a lot of marketing strategies to persuade new customers to buy your products.
It takes a lot of money and effort to make them aware of your brand and consider your products before actually purchasing from you.
But with repeat customers, you don't have to do all that from scratch.
Sure, you need to spice up your marketing campaigns for them to come back to your eCommerce store.
But you don't need to go through the awareness phase, where you need to present them with a lot of information and reasons why they should buy from you.
Repeat customers already know why they should buy from you.
And that makes it easier to...
2. Turn them into loyal customers
Loyal customers are the ones who will rave about your products genuinely.
They will post about your products and recommend you to their family and friends.
They will support your store's future endeavors.
So, having a loyal customer base should be one of your goals.
And that is achievable with repeat customers, which can also...
3. Increase the customer's lifetime value
A customer lifetime value is an average amount of how much a single customer has spent on your business over the course of your relationship.
So, if you want to increase your customer lifetime value...
You need to implement ways how to make them your repeat customers!
Here are...
7 Ways to Turn Past Sales Into Repeat Customers
Of course, you need to...
1. Have quality customer service
Having good customer service is a great way to make customers come back to you.
If you answered their questions and addressed their concerns with grace, customers will be happy.
So, how can you provide excellent customer service?
- Have an FAQ page. Before they decide to reach out to you, it's essential to have an FAQ section or page which answers all their possible concerns. This will save both of you some time.
- Install automation. To make reaching you easy, you can install a live chat feature on your website.
Having these will make your customer service more seamless.
And if you're talking to them directly, make sure to be polite and educate them about your products.
Explain to them properly and be patient until you completely address their concerns.
Another way to turn them into repeat customers is to...
2. Send email marketing campaigns
Do you have a new product you think they will like? Send them an email.
Do you have a new collection or exclusive deals available? Send them an email.
This is an effective way to remind them of what your eCommerce store is up to.
You can also remind them of the products they left in their carts.
And here are some email marketing tips you can try on:
- Send an email based on where they are on the sales funnel. Since they already purchased from you, you need to craft a campaign that will make them your repeat customers. For example, an exclusive offer or personalized recommendations based on their past purchase.
- Personalize the email by addressing their name. They will feel like you're talking to them if you address them by the name they provided you with or customer data.
By sending emails, you are reminding your existing customers about your online store and products.
Not only that, but you're also keeping your communication with them.
The next tip is...
3. Send in-app or push notifications
If you're planning to have your app in the near future, this may come in handy.
Sending in-app or push notifications can help you boost customer lifetime value and reduce cart abandonment rate.
How? By prompting them to take action.
For example, they left some products in the cart. You can send a notification reminding them of the products they left or that it's almost out of stock.
Or if you're having a "Flash sale," which only lasts for a few hours or minutes. This will create a sense of urgency when they see the notifications on their apps.
You can also...
4. Create a customer loyalty program
Having enticing customer loyalty programs can create repeat customers.
Why? Because they have access to all your exclusive deals and special rewards.
Do you want them to repeat business transactions with you? Give them some perks. Online shoppers love a good deal.
If you're wondering how to implement this, here are a few ideas:
- Point system. The more purchases they have, the higher the points they'll get... which they can use on their next purchase.
- Rewards system. For every purchase, you can reward them with anything. It can be a discount on their next purchase or a discounted add-on product of their choice.
- Referrals. If they refer someone through personalized links or codes, they can get something in return.
- Tier-based programs. The more products they buy from you, the higher their tier will be. And tiers will have different rewards for each.
- Loyalty members. A repeat customer who's part of your loyalty membership program can gain limited access to your products.
Giving your ideal customer some perks can help you improve customer retention.
You can also build a genuine relationship with them if you...
5. Take your current customers behind the scenes
More and more customers are now becoming loyal to brands that align with their values. They want brand transparency.
And showing what's happening behind the scenes will encourage customers to support your online business and cause.
You can show...
- How you reward employees for their dedication
- How you're giving back to the community
- What's happening behind the scenes, like packing and the "serious" side of your business
In doing so, you can inspire them and promote relatability.
That's why when implementing your marketing efforts, it's always essential to know your why.
You can attract more customers who share the same values and will go the extra mile to support your business moving forward.
Also, you need to...
6. Give the best customer experience
A seamless shopping experience is an important aspect of increasing your customer retention rate.
To boost your customer retention, you need to give your regular customers the best online shopping experience.
This means...
- Your eCommerce website needs to load fast.
- You must have different payment gateways for more options.
- Your checkout page must be uncomplicated.
Once you have these, your customers will enjoy shopping on your eCommerce store and come back... which is good for customer retention.
Because they already know that your eCommerce website is impressive. They have a convenient transaction with you all the time.
And lastly...
7. Collect customer feedback
To determine satisfied customers, it's crucial to collect feedback from them.
By doing this, you can figure out which areas or services you need to improve, so you can retain customers.
Also, customers feel valued when you ask for their insights.
You can do this by...
- Having a star rating system to ask how they feel about your products or services.
- Sending a feedback form after they receive your products.
- Encouraging them to recommend your products on their social media accounts and tag you if they're happy with your products.
It's crucial to know your customers' feelings because that will help you enhance your strategies.
You can also use their positive feedback on your marketing efforts or social proof. This is also a way to engage customers in your market and product research.
If you continue to develop your customer approach, you can turn more sales into repeat customers.
With these 7 tips, you can now...
Turn more first-time buyers into repeat customers!
As a business owner, it's important to always think of ways to entice more people into buying your products.
But these tips will give you an idea of how to turn more buyers into repeat customers.
You see, giving them the best online shopping experience and customer service can help you achieve that.
And just because they already purchased from you doesn't mean it's the end of their customer journey.
Are you looking for more ways to foster brand loyalty?
Ricky Hayes
Frances Arcinas
