But do so strategically

By Gordon Hecht, YSN Contributor

Restaurants have regular diners. Airlines have frequent fliers. Jimmy Buffett had his Parrot Heads. And of course Taylor has her Swifties.

It’s that set of loyal customers who prefer to continue spending their (or their parents’) hard-earned dough where they are treated the best.

Your shop has its own group of raving fans. In big-ticket retail, that’s the customer who makes more than one purchase from you. Under the best circumstances it’s twice or more in a 12-month period.

Build your audience of loyal customers from the first time they buy from you. Sales occur upon the intersection of trust and value. After all, you’ve already sold the most difficult commodity in your shop. You’ve sold yourself.

Communication is Key

Think of your customer like a new friend. She wouldn’t be your BFF for long if every time you spoke you were trying to sell her something!

It starts with a thank you note or text after the purchase. Then it moves forward with thoughtful information. You can send these by text, email, or snail mail. A 30-day check in, perhaps with information to help your shopper maximize their enjoyment of your product. In the mattress business that could include tips on how to get better sleep.

At 60 days, a short “Hello, I’m thinking about you.”  That can include a recipe or information about local activities that your customer may enjoy.

At 90 days, you’ve earned the right to send a promotional offer. It could range from “Stop in for a free gift” to a transferrable coupon or a hot offer on an accessory item.

Repeat that same 90-day cycle. This increases the odds of your communications being read. Your audience will know that you’re not just bugging them to buy more stuff. Essentially, increase your salary without stalking.

Information Overload

There sure are a lot of advertising messages out there. The urban myth is that we see between 6,000 and 10,000 ads a day. That would average out to about seven ads a minute. Twenty-four hours a day.

A more accurate number is around 95 ads a day. Most of which people can’t recall.

But whether it’s 95 or 10,000, you don’t want to be the company that piles onto the buzz. Being in your customer’s face makes you a pesky gnat, not a friendly neighborhood business.

Resist the urge to shout “SALE!” with every communication. Only send a message when you have something to say. Deliver something of value with every note.

And always give your customer the ability to opt out.

Sending helpful communication with valuable insights on a reasonable schedule will build your image with customers who already know and trust you. You’ll earn the right to be at the top of their shopping list for the next purchase.

And that’s news you can use.

Gordon Hecht is a business growth and development consultant to the retail home furnishings industry and a regular contributor to YSN. You can reach him at Gordon.Hecht@aol.com.

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