Build a Retention Program Your Competition Hates
June 19, 2008 1:50 pm Copy, direct marketingFunMarketer Lesson of the Week
Craig, Can you recommend an easy-to-maintain retention program?
The FunMarketer answer is: Go where others don’t. If you:
a) Depend on Repeat Customers and
b) Have your customer’s address
then a low-maintenance method to bond your customers to you is send them cards in the mail when nobody else is. High-value times could include:
1. Birthday Card
2. July 4th Card
3. “Preferred Customer Event” special invite
You say: “Oh no, Craig, we can’t send out cards to customers. It costs too much.”
Really? Acquiring a customer costs between 10 and 50 times what a Card-based retention program does. And if you are like most businesses, it is your repeat customers that support your company. It just make sense to bond them to you with a very basic retention program.
Also, my experience strongly suggests you should OUTSOURCE this function. Send your database to a good service provider and let them take care of this vital marketing function.
Can’t afford to send everybody a card? Then just choose the cream of the crop. If your business follows a classic 80/20 Pareto rule, then you can just peel off the top 20% of the customer list and mail them.
FunMarketer Free Campaign Idea of the Week
Summer is here and the beach is a great place for inspiration!
Photo: Istock #1693130
Headline: Acme Remodeling – No Job’s Too Small
Alternate Headline: Acme Architects – Practicing Great Design Since 1975
Got any great ideas of your own? Just reply to the Funmarketer blog with your istock number and your headline and subhead (Clean Only, Please).
Oh, if you do use the campaign, make sure you give credit where due.
FunMarketer Tip of The Week
Use Google Suggest. For those of you who haven’t tried this tool, Google Suggest is a powerful way to explore which phrases people are using on the web. Google will actually tell you what’s popular, PLUS supply you with ideas. Think that coold search phrase you want to use in your copy or headline is the latest and greatest? Maybe, but by using Google Suggest you can find out how many people are actually searching for it.
FunMarketer Phrase of The Week
“Supplies Are Limited, so Call Now”. This phrase is one of the more powerful calls to action you can use in your copy. Yes, it may seem a bit timeworn, but remember that this phrase is battle-tested through thousands of campaigns. Remember, a good Call To Action leverages fear to push people into an action – which is often greed-based.
Happy Marketing!
Craig Lutz-Priefert
June 20th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Craig –
Thanks for your GREAT tip for retaining customers and getting repeat business!
You probably already have a recommendation for an online contact system that automates this service.
If not, here I am!
Peggy
June 20th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
This is a perfect example of making sure the customer knows how much you appreciate their business. Your suggestion puts the customer first and at a cost that is affordable. As business owners if we want customer loyalty sometimes it comes at a price.
July 12th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
I really like this idea for retaining customers, it makes sense and makes the customer feel valued great tip!