Online sales are great opportunities but also huge challenges. On the one hand, we have a chance for an amazing development of our customer base and the number of orders, on the other hand, the competition is not sleeping.
Putting aside logistic and legal challenges, it is worth thinking how to increase the involvement of our clients.
A regular customer is willing to spend much more in our online store. No wonder that such a user needs to be looked after many times better than a new one.
But how to face the challenge of customer retention and increase product sales at the same time? We have 7 proven ways for you to increase customer involvement in subsequent purchases.
7 proven ideas on how to keep B2C users in e-commerce
The tools presented below are the minimum that should be implemented in almost every e-commerce. However, this is often not enough to achieve spectacular success.
Remember! The best way to retain and attract new customers is to do better than our competitors. And of course the customer should be aware of this!
1. Discount coupons
Everyone likes discounts in the end, which is why coupon marketing works so well. However, when it comes to e-commerce, using easy discount coupons is too simplistic an approach.
The coupons work and it works very well! Include dedicated coupons with a thank you for the purchase and a code for the next purchase with each package and product sent. A satisfied customer will definitely come back to our store for another e-shopping.
2. Newsletter
Email is a very effective form of contact with our regular customers. It’s worth sending a thank you note for the purchase + promo code. The entire automation of our mailing process (marketing automation) helps to maintain commitment (possibly upsell / cross-sell).
In 2021, we still use e-mail willingly. Likewise, our clients are willing to agree to receive offer mailing – in exchange for specific profits.
However, running good mailing activities is quite a challenge for stores. How to stand out so that our e-mail not only does not end up in spam, but above all generates specific customer behavior.
3. Educational blog & mails
Sharing knowledge is a popular way to gain interest among our clients. We not only offer paid products or services, but most of all large doses of useful knowledge.
Our mailings or blog posts can be personalized to the specific interests and purchases of our client in our store.
In the case of perhaps more complex products or services – a series of implementation e-mails, “how to”, showing even more possibilities of using a given product in various ways – here a lot depends on the creativity of the marketer, you can inspire it and show it in the form of a graphic, video or article.
4. Loyalty program
An effective loyalty program means huge profits for the brand. The goal of each of them is almost always the same – it’s to raise brand awareness and customer satisfaction by creating relationships through dedicated and accessible communication – and thus – increasing sales.
Selling existing customers is much cheaper than acquiring new ones – that’s why the topic of loyalty is often discussed in the industry. Loyal customers will be more likely to buy again, motivated not only by the number of points, but also by the overall experience around the brand.
So the best programs don’t just rely on awards, they bind the entire user experience together.
5. Invitation to a closed group
Closed discussion groups are a popular way of gathering people with common interests or goals. It is also an amazing tool for our regular customers who can get access to a closed VIP group.
In these types of groups, it is worth publishing exclusive content, collecting feedback, building relationships (it also works great in B2B).
Regular customers already know us and access to a special closed group only for the chosen ones is always in fashion. It is also showing how important the client is to us. And we can invite the best customers to the most closed group, e.g. the top 100 people who make the biggest purchases in our store.
It is also a good time to connect closed groups, e.g. with appropriate discounts or loyalty cards.
6. Personalization of communication
Customization in e-commerce is the process of creating a shopping experience that is intended specifically for a single customer, not for a broad audience.
Did you know that 91% of customers are more likely to buy from an online store that offers personalized experiences. There is also a growing tendency for users to share their personal data in exchange for recommendations and offers tailored to them.
Instead of adopting a universal approach to the entire group of recipients, online sellers are to create key elements of the customer journey, including content on the website, e-mails, activity in social media and paid advertising, so that they change depending on the needs and previous customer behavior.
7. Gamification in e-commerce
The key to the success of gamification is … fighting boredom. It is worth paying attention to the increasing involvement of companies in this direction – not only the largest international concerns, but also small, locally operating enterprises.
Opportunities offered to a potential client by the chance to join the fun created for the campaign – for example, collecting points, comparing your achievements with other participants of the game, gaining new badges, climbing the ranks, an opportunity to be creative.
Gamification is the use of the natural need for competition, in addition, awarded with specific prizes (e.g. discounts, free shipments, the possibility of participating in attractive events) …