The success of any business comes from the interactions and relationships built between the company and its customers. In other words, customer retention makes or breaks a business in the long term. Here are strategies for retaining customers for your dropshipping business.
1. Customer Retention Depends on a Great Customer Experience
It sounds pretty basic, but customers come to you already expecting that you’re going to provide them with exactly what they were looking for. They’re already expecting that you’re going to provide a service. They’re expecting you to provide a good product. Ultimately, they’re expecting to have a reasonable relationship with you during that time.
Therefore, in order to maximize customer retention you need to blow them out of the water. In other words, provide great customer experience and great service by going above and beyond what your competitors are doing or what they would even expect you to do.
To that end, let them know how their project or order is proceeding. Let them know where their product is. If you’re staying on top of this customer relationship, then you increase the likelihood of people working with you again.
2. Stay on Their Radar
Keep in mind that 97% of people who go to your website or interact with your brand for the first time don’t convert. This is true even in the case of Shopify dropshipping, which is the highest converting eCommerce business model.
“Converting” means that a lead or prospect takes an action that results in a sale. If someone does not “convert” that doesn’t mean that they’re not a good customer or they’re not a good fit for your business. It just means they’re in a different spot in your sales funnel.
Maybe they’re just researching. They could be comparing or price shopping. Therefore, it is key to customer retention to engage and re-engage them to bring them back to your site.
So if you follow up with them and stay on their radar, utilizing re-targeting ads or any of the myriad of marketing opportunities out there, then you will find ways to stay top of mind with them.
You must be able to follow marketing’s Law of Seven. This rule of thumb maintains that a consumer needs to see or interact with your brand at least seven times before they decide to work with you. Don’t get discouraged at the first or second or even fifth interaction. Hold steady and the law of seven will pay off.
3. Automate Your Processes for Customer Retention
Use a CRM and use email automation. The last thing that you want to do is spend your time, money, and energy in driving people to your website, getting them to fill out a form and become a lead, and then never talk to them again. However, instead of spending more time and money and energy to follow up manually, automate as many of your interactions as possible.
With automation, you can develop a funnel to continue nurturing your customers so they come back to you when it’s time for their next service. Or, they come back to you when it’s time for them to purchase an add-on product or upgrade. There are a lot of tools out there that are available to help you automate for customer retention. However, we specifically recommend the SaleSource CRM, as it is currently the best product on the market.
4. Ask for Referrals
If you aren’t asking for referrals, you’re relying on luck. You need to give your customers an opportunity to brag about you. They already paid you. They’ve already taken that risk. Now, you’ve developed the trust relationship with them, a necessary element of customer retention. So give them an opportunity and incentive to brag about their decision to their friends and their family.
Referrals are a great way to generate new leads. They are great for getting your name and brand out there at minimal cost to you. They give you a good way to stay in touch with your customer. Their friends and family who are into AliExpress dropshipping become marketers for your business. Their sphere of influence becomes your next warm market. In other words, you can utilize them to drive more business to your company.
5. Thank Customers and Follow Up
A lot of people forget that a transactional relationship such as sales requires appreciation. Put simply, you need to say thank you. Appreciate the fact that they’re spending their hard-earned money with you and let them know you recognize that.
RELATED CONTENT: GO THE EXTRA MILE AND SHOW YOUR TEAM SOME APPRECIATION
People love to have their hand shaken and receive sincere gratitude for choosing your company. This is also a fantastic time to ask them to leave you a review. Reviews are incredibly powerful. They provide an opportunity for you to develop and maintain your own online reputation which, let’s be honest, is kind of everything these days.
In short, if you provide great customer service, thank the customer after their interaction, and ask them for a review, then you are more likely to retain that customer in the future. Customer retention is how to grow your business for the long term.
Make Customer Retention Job One
Finally, remember that it costs five times more to generate a new customer than it does to keep an existing one. But if you follow these tips your customers will keep working with you. They’ll come back and become lifetime customers. Plus, they’ll send all their friends and family your way.
For more tips to help you run your online business, be sure to browse our blog often.
