By Alison Flangel

Retaining customers is one of the most important aspects of being a successful business owner. Repetitive clients are what make local businesses strong competitors. Below are some tips on how to keep customers retention rates high!

  1. Create an online presence
    Creating an online presence is an easy way to keep up your customer retention rates. Creating an e-newsletter or email list for customers to subscribe to is a great simple way to encourage customers to return to your business. Additionally, interacting with regular customers on various social media platforms is a great way to create customer loyalty. Connecting with new customers on media channels will help them get to know your business better very quickly.
  2. Learn about your customers
    It is important to take time to learn about your new customers, as they learn about your business. Consider taking steps such as adding a poll or survey to your email lists, to learn about your customers’ interests and preferences. Customers are more likely to return if they feel as though you personally appreciate their business.
  3. Entice customers with events and special offers
    Deals and promotions are a great motivator to bring people back to your business. Brainstorm events or special deals that you can offer to your customers, which will likely bring even more new individuals into your business. Whether this means a guest speaker, happy hour event, or product sale, customer retention rates will soar.
  4. Create a loyalty program
    A customer loyalty program is a strong pillar in increasing customer retention rates. These programs reward repeat customers by giving them incentives to come back and support your business. Customer loyalty programs make individuals feel special through giving them a sneak peak at new products, or exclusive offers and deals.
  5. Be honest and set realistic expectations
    Being straightforward with your customers is essential if you want to improve your customer retention rate. Being honest can have a huge impact on your business’ ability to keep customers returning. One example of this is shipping times; while most businesses can not compete with Amazon’s shipping rates, you should always be honest with your customers on how long it will take for products to arrive. Keeping customers informed on the reality of a situation makes them feel as though their money and time was well spent.