After Sale Marketing
07 Dec 2012 Leave a Comment
in creative offers, Marketing TIPS, Social Media Tags: offers, Sales Calls, thank you cards
Follow up with your customers after the sale is done.
Following up after a sale provides an opportunity to offer a heart-felt thank you and ensure customer satisfaction. It also lets you discuss additional services and improve a customer’s probable return to your business. Here are a few follow-up tips for after-sale marketing:
- Show your gratitude with a free offer that complements the original purchase. For example, a hair stylist could show thanks by offering a voucher for a free hair styling product. Include specifics, such as a $15 maximum value redeemable within 60 days of postmark.
- Boost sales by providing a coupon for free shipping or 25% off their next order. Encourage customers to pass it on if they don’t need to use the offer themselves.
- Suggest complementary products or services that will enhance the initial purchase and increase the customer’s satisfaction and loyalty. Consider creating an affiliate program with non-competing businesses to expand your offerings.
- Reward customers for providing referrals. Offer an exclusive discount to both your existing customer and a new referral to increase the number of referrals you receive.
- Highlight your contact information on an item your customers will keep, such as a business card, calendar, customized notepad, magnet, or pen.
- Become a resource to your customers by encouraging customers to sign up for an informational newsletter with industry tips and tricks. You might also consider providing valuable tutorials and training classes.
- Consider using the 10-10-10 follow-up pattern (or even a less-aggressive 30-30-30). Send an initial thank you within 10 days after the purchase. Contact them again after 10 days, then a third time after another 10 days. Vary your method of communication, such as a hand-written note, email, and phone call. Include an offer in all communications, and build on the urgency in each contact.
- Ask for feedback about the customer’s recent purchase or send a survey with an incentive to respond. Many customers will be eager to discuss their experience or may even have questions.
- A new idea might be to consider thanking them on Facebook or other social media.
If you need creative print ideas to stay in touch your customers, give us a call today. Our creative team is full of ideas to ensure your customers come back for more, and bring new customers with them!
Appreciation Marketing
31 Jul 2012 Leave a Comment
in creative offers, Discounts, Inspirational, Marketing, Marketing TIPS, Products, Services Tags: Loyality items, Promotional items, thank you cards
Everyone likes to feel appreciated. That’s especially true when it comes to your customers. Appreciation marketing can help you develop lasting relationships and make customers think of you the next time they’re ready to purchase.
Here are a few ways to show customers your appreciation:
- Send a hand-written thank you card every time someone does business with you. Larry and I remember purchasing a suitcase at a smaller store in the mall years ago, and they sent us a thank you card, for a suitcase no less! We thought that was pretty darn cool, so Print & Copy Factory started sending thank you cards to our customers.
- Reward repeat customers with special deals, exclusive discounts, and coupons. You should be tracking what your customers are purchasing from you, and use this to sell add-on services or products as a form of up-selling.
- Send holiday (we have a large selection), birthday, or anniversary cards. These simple, pressure-free greetings will help increase top-of-mind awareness throughout the year.
- Offer useful information and helpful tips to educate customers and promote your expertise via blogs, newsletters, social media, and the like.
- Invite customers to an exclusive appreciation event designed for existing customers.
- Collaborate with non-competitive local businesses to create a coupon book or discount program across a range of industries – check with the local chambers, some of them have welcome packets that they give to new members that include your marketing items – I know the Ferndale Chamber has one).
- Create a customer loyalty program, such as a loyalty punch card, upgrade offers, or cash rewards after reaching a specific purchase level.
- Respond quickly to customer questions or requests, and follow-up to be sure all questions were thoroughly answered.
- Ask for customer feedback in the form of surveys and response cards. (we also do this, using a pre-paid postcard, encouraging the correspondence)
- Send out a voucher or postcard for a free gift, redeemable at your business.
- Send out re-order cards.
- Send discounts and coupons “just because” to thank customers for their business.
- Include statement stuffer coupons with bills not only as a thank you but also to encourage customers to make additional future purchases.
- Give away free-bees, such as coffee mugs, pens or even hats with your logo on them, they stay with the customer longer and help you advertise too!
If you’re interested in any of the above print marketing ideas or need help brainstorming the perfect promo to show customers your appreciation, our creative team here at Print & Copy Factory is eager to help. Give us a call today!
Build Business Relationships with Greeting Cards
15 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Marketing TIPS, Print, Products Tags: birthday cards, employee recognition, greeting cards, personalized, thank you cards, VDP
Greeting cards are a great way to show your family and friends you are thinking of them on their birthday or holidays. They are also a powerful yet underutilized tool for businesses to reach out and connect with valued customers, professional acquaintances, and other businesses.
While holidays and birthdays are the most common times greeting cards are used, businesses can also use greeting cards for business event invitations, staff introductions, product or service announcements, exclusive promotion or discount offerings, gift card holders, employee recognition, thank you cards, follow-up notes, customer anniversaries, grand openings, and more.
We can set up programs for companies such as insurance companies, to send out birthday cards on the first of each month. The insurance company would just provide us a database with the birthday month, personal message field, and name/address, and we would personalize the card and address the envelop and mail it out. They would not have to think about it for a full year…! This technology is called VDP, or variable data printing, that creates “extreme personalized mailings“.
Next time you’re looking for a creative way to send a friendly greeting to your customers, give the timeless touch of greeting cards a try.
9 Ways to Increase Customer Retention
07 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Inspirational, Marketing TIPS Tags: communication, mail, surveys, thank you cards, value added
Experts say it costs five times more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing one. Consequently, customer retention is critical to the success of your business. Here are a few tips to help you stay in front of your customers and increase your customer retention rates:
Develop a customer loyalty program that offers special promotions and incentives for return customers, such as birthday discounts, a reward punch card, free shipping, monthly discounts, free upgrades, and the like.
Offer surveys that ask customers what they think of your business and how you can improve.
Encourage open communication with your customers. Request feedback and suggestions. Offer options such as email forms, surveys, a toll-free number, chat forums, and social media links.
Consider creating a focus group with a couple loyal customers to provide their insight from a customer’s perspective. Be sure to reward them for their input.
Utilize customer complaints and suggestions to improve your products or services.
Create a referral program that encourages and rewards loyal customers to do the selling for you.
Differentiate yourself from the competition. Offer value add-ons, educate your customers about industry trends, provide helpful tips, and have a live person answer your phones instead of a confusing automated system.
Socialize with your customers. Attend trade shows, offer open houses, encourage customers to respond to blog posts, and communicate with your customers on social media sites.
Mail personalized thank you cards showing your appreciation for recent purchases or for interest in your products and services.
If you have other ideas for keeping customers satisfied, please feel free to share them in the comments below.
