Where would we be without our loyal customers? Have you ever taken the time to consider which customers are loyal to your business? How many of those customers would continue to be loyal to you even if your direct competitor opened up next door to you?
While learning how to attract new customers is important, focusing on turning your current customers into loyal ones is even more important. Why? It is the loyal customers that guarantee that your business will be around for decades to come. Their referrals and positive word-of-mouth are one of your most powerful marketing tools.
Consider Lendio’s marketing specialist Mike Alder’s advice on distinguishing between your loyal and non-loyal customers using these three simple strategies:
- “Understand and always be optimizing your customer experience
- Welcome upset customers with excitement
- Build an army of loyal customers”
Before you can have a strong relationship with your customers, you must first understand your customers’ experience, or journey. Whether you realize it or not, your customers’ experience is a map with different paths your customers can choose or not choose to take. These paths include your blog, products, online store, checkout, online survey, etc. It is when these paths do not have an objective that it becomes an exit point for your customer – this is key for your business.
According to Alder, “…Each path’s end goal should serve a purpose to your main goal(s) as a company.”
If you are planning to optimize your customer’s experience with your business, you will want to ask yourself some questions:
- Are there things that take too long for the customer to complete?
- Are there things that are too complicated for the customer and can be simplified?
- If I was a customer, would I be frustrated with anything?
- What processes can be improved?
- Are there any variables that I can test to see if improvements can be made?
Funding Your Marketing Campaign
When planning a marketing campaign to optimize your customers’ experience, there will be costs involved. If you are in need of some working capital, a small business cash advance is a great option. With 1st American Merchant Funding, you can receive your funds in as little as 72 hours. The application process is simple, fast and hassle-free. A small business cash advance can provide the flexibility your business needs to focus on and invest in your customer’s experience.