Customer acquisition is certainly an important aspect of managing a business, but it’s only actually a small portion of the equation. What could be more important than attracting and acquiring new customers? The answer is retaining your existing customers and giving them incentives to continue supporting your business. In fact, it’s been proven that there are a lot of benefits to focusing more on customer retention than acquisition. Customer retention actually costs significantly less than acquisition because you don’t have to work as hard to build brand awareness. With the right direct mail marketing strategies in place, you can boost your customer retention numbers and your revenue in the process.
Here are seven secrets to achieving successful customer retention via direct mail marketing.
Target a Strategic Direct Mail Campaign
Any time customers purchase a product or sign up for your business newsletter, this presents an opportunity to tactfully collect information about them. You can find out a lot about a person based on the types of purchases they make and products they view, such as what their interests are. Part of the beauty of focusing on customer retention is that you already know what your customers like and you don’t have to work as hard to figure out what they’re likely to purchase.
Using this information, you can create strategically targeted direct mail advertisements and promotions that are personalized based on each customer’s interests and their past purchases. Customer retention via direct mail marketing can improve your sales by about 35%.
Use Direct Mail Marketing Strategies to Boost Customer Loyalty
Customer loyalty is a huge driving factor behind the success of your business. When customers feel understood and appreciated, this builds loyalty and encourages them to continue supporting the same business time and time again. Furthermore, they can even inadvertently help drive up your sales revenue by recommending your products or services to people they know.
You can incentivize word-of-mouth advertising and referrals by sending long-time loyal customers exclusive offers for friends and family referrals through direct mail marketing campaigns. It’s a win-win situation for you and your customers because they get a great offer, and you can simultaneously boost your customer retention and acquisition numbers.
Reactivate Dormant Accounts
Do you have a long list of dormant past customers who you haven’t heard from in a while? It’s time to investigate what happened. Are they satisfied with their past purchases? Did they have a negative experience? Or is it because your products are seasonal? Reaching out to these customers through direct mail marketing response campaigns can help you understand why their accounts went dormant and how you can improve their experience.
Offer Extra Direct Mail Marketing Perks
With more businesses switching strictly to digital marketing campaigns, it’s easy for a lot of these promotions to get lost in the shuffle. Direct mail marketing campaigns offer a uniquely overlooked opportunity to get your brand to the forefront of your customers’ minds. Physically tangible marketing materials are less likely to be ignored than the hundreds of email notifications most people receive daily. Take advantage of the power of direct mail marketing in the digital age by presenting your customers with special offers they can’t get anywhere else. These include:
- Free samples for your latest products
- Discounts off of upcoming services and sales
- Limited time offers exclusive to existing customers
- Friends and family referral discounts
- Two for one packages
- Extending business hours for your loyal shoppers
- Customer loyalty programs
- The list goes on.
Send Thoughtful Surprises via Direct Mail
Customers love being wooed by their favorite brands. Whether they’re long-time recurring supporters or have only purchased one item from you in the past, sending thoughtful promotional offers via direct mail can significantly impact the customer experience.
Send Customers Reminders of Seasonal or Recurring Services
Some services need to be rendered on a regular basis, but customers can forget. For instance, if you’re an HVAC company and recently installed a water heater for a customer, chances are that they won’t need another one for a very long time. But they might need routine inspections or equipment services from time to time. Remind customers that you’re always there for them by sending them occasional promotional materials for a discount on HVAC services.
If you’re a mechanic or own an auto shop, you can send customers reminders of when they’re due for an oil change, tire change, or rotation. Offer them discounts for additional maintenance services or bundles.
Send Out Notices and Reminders of Upcoming Promotions and Events
Over the past few years, the pop-up business model has grown a great deal in popularity. Pop-up shops are seasonal or short-term scheduled events that allow customers to come in and purchase various items at large discounts. Every time you have a sales event or promotion coming up, you should send customers notices in the mail to let them know about it. Mailers should include the date, time, and location of the event as well as any coupons or vouchers required to get in.
Seasonal direct mail reminders are also highly recommended because they inform customers of any upcoming holiday sales you’re having. From Valentine’s Day to Easter, summer promotions, back-to-school, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, and more, sometimes customers can get so wrapped up in their own personal lives that they can lose track of time.
Getting started on the seasonal promotions as soon as possible gives customers enough time to get a jumpstart on their holiday shopping and beat the crowds. It’s a small gesture, but many customers will be grateful that you were thoughtful enough to send them these seasonal notices and discount offers.
Hire a Direct Mail Marketing Company
As a leading direct mail marketing company, North American Media has helped numerous small businesses build and maintain their direct mail marketing campaigns and improve customer retention and engagement on a more personal level. Contact us today to learn more about our services.
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