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How you support customers is crucial in your store strategy.

Maximizing Your Current Customer Base

The constant challenge to gain NEW customers often leaves retailers neglecting EXISTING customers. Sound familiar? If this rings true for your store, think about the following…

1. How many repeat customers do you know by name?

2. Do you have customers that return often to your store for repeat buys?

3. What is your current marketing strategy to engage existing customers?

Identifying who your repeat and loyal customers are is essential in creating strong, repeat business. Plus, leaning on these customers to help spread the word about your store is gold. Good old fashioned word-of-mouth and referral style marketing is not something to ignore, even in our fast paced world of social media marketing. Consider the following…

If a customer enters your store that looks familiar and you are confident has made a purchase at least twice before, how do you greet them? Is it a simple hello? Do you ask how they have been? Do you ask how they are enjoying their last purchase (including name of actual item bought)?

Now consider this customer comes into your store and you simply say hi… suggest you can help them if they need it… then back off?

The key difference in these two scenarios is that the customer in scenario #2 has no idea you have acknowledged them as a familiar face… and a respected customer.

Now imagine you are a customer in a store that you have been to often and purchased from a handful or more times. Would you enjoy the experience of shopping there more if they gave you some special attention, or would you simply like to blend into the rest of the customers that may have walked through their doors that day?

The reality is, we live in a ego-eccentric world where customers appreciate a little TLC. Sure, there are exceptions. But most customers lean towards wanting that extra love versus not – especially those that shop independent boutiques and other indie retailers. So the question is… What kind of store impression do you want to leave with your customers?


Comments

  • Very helpful, as usual!

  • Audrey Watson
    September 4, 2012

    This is perfect! I was having this EXACT conversation with one of my clients last week. My client was stressing out about getting new customers. I was telling him he needs his current customers to be RAVING FANS of his store. When this happens, the new customers will come. By focusing on creating RAVING FANS, he can be at cause or in control of this.

    Great article Nicole!

    Audrey Watson
    Consultant
    Retail Smart Guys

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