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5 Step System to Create Loyal Customers During Promotions

New customers are great; but having them become repeat customers is much more profitable. How much? According to research from BIA Kelsey, returning customers spend an average of 67% more than new customers. So, let’s say around 67% better.

Deal sites like LocalFlavor, Groupon and LivingSocial are great for getting new customers in the door, but the real profit lies in getting those new customers to come back.

The ideal scenario is to use a promotion to attract new customers, provide those customers with a great initial experience, and have that visit create a lasting impression that will turn them into loyal customers for years to come.

One of the best ways to do this is by using your current promotions to incentivize and encourage customers to stay connected with your business. A general 5-step plan is provided below.

Give customers a reason to return and help them understand that they are valued. It takes a little effort — but its worth looking into. A report from Rosetta Consulting found that engaged consumers buy 90% more frequently, and spend 60% more per transaction.

Mobile Apps make it easy to stay connected with customers
  Apps make it easy to engage with your customers

Test it:
1. Plan your promotion: Start by offering a promotion on one of the deal sites mentioned above, or use print advertisements like Clipper Magazine. This will increase exposure to your business and attract new customers.

2. Collect contact information: When customers come in to redeem their deal, offer an additional incentive for staying connected through email, a preferred social media channel or your custom mobile application (best option).

Ex:
-Download our Mobile App and receive a welcome 10% off your next visit (and stay up to date on future promotions).
-Give us your email for 5% off your next visit.
– Post a Facebook status about our current promotion for a 25% discount

** Tip — following a positive initial experience, many new customers will gladly sign up for a way to stay connected to future promotions, loyalty rewards, mobile ordering etc. Many of the businesses that work with Total Loyalty have found that just letting customers know that they have a mobile application for promotions, online ordering, and reward programs results in downloads.

3. Stay connected! Once you’ve found a way for new customers to stay connected with you, it’s equally important for you to stay connected with them.
-Keep your social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) up to date by offering news and promotions to your followers (also a great place to promote your business App).
-Send emails that include coupons, special offers and events notifications.
-Use push notifications through your mobile App to remind them of loyalty programs, easy online ordering, seasonal updates and much more.

4. Track your results: What does not get measured gets missed. Make sure you have a way to track the results of your efforts so that successful promotion campaigns can be repeated. TLS clients easily track promotions, customer engagement, online orders and more, but if you’re not using a mobile application you can still keep track of key figures like email subscribers, and promotion redemptions the old-fashioned way.

5. Repeat (but only so often): after running a particularly successful promotion, make sure to repeat it — but not so often that it loses the exclusive appeal. Exclusivity and scarcity are very effective ways to incentivize customers to take advantage of an opportunity. Be mindful of how and when you offer certain types of promotions.

After providing new customers with a great initial experience, you can make the most out of any promotions with additional incentives for customers to stay connected to your business. If you’d like to know more about how Total Loyalty Solutions can help, contact us here and one of our solutions specialists will reach out to discuss your (and your customers’) needs.

Interested in learning more about how a custom mobile application can benefit your business? Contact us to speak with a loyalty coach about how we can help.

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