Customers
We are now left with the smallest
group, but also the one with greatest
potential to increase your revenue. You
also know more about this group than
any other … and knowledge is power.
Mine the data about your customers
and segment them into unique categories. Those who have not purchased in
three months, those who have purchased more than $600 in one month,
those who live in warmer climates,
etc., and market to them personally.
Deliver customized content to each
sub-segment of your database that
feels tailored and specific to them.
The key here is to nurture this group
and keep them loving you. Communicate with them in multiple ways ...
via social media, e-mail and inserts
in their orders. Definitely write a blog
and load your Web site with articles,
links, images, videos, contests and
surveys that add depth to your brand
and to your community. You don’t
need to only talk about a new product
introduction of a big order. Let your
fans know about what inspires your
company, what you are interested in
and what you are tapped into. Your
Web site and your social media profile
pages should be the place where your
brand personality gets expressed more
than any other marketing vehicle.
There is always some resistance to
allowing customer comments and
product reviews on your site. This fear
is unfounded. The reality is that you
can always moderate any comments
and you should allow your customers to
engage in conversation with you. You
might actually learn something from
a customer’s critical complaint. More
often than not, visitors are coming to
your site to research your company.
Providing authentic, real comments
gives your brand more credibility and
provides confidence even if you have a
few negative comments.
We often go to the local coffee shop
and get a free cup after 10 purchases.
Consider creating a similar loyalty
program for your site.
Reward loyal customers with promotional offers, value-added services or
unique content that makes them feel
special. Depending on the e-commerce
platform you are using, you may have
more tools at your disposal than you
know. Spend some time exploring the
back-end of your store to see what’s
under the hood.
Just as important as it is to reward frequent shoppers, you’ll need to devise
a program to win back old customers
who have forgotten about you. There
are lots of reasons why these folks
may have stopped purchasing from
you; give them some incentive to
start again.
In summary, there are a lot of details
that are required to ensure the success
of your online initiatives. Developing
campaigns and establishing benchmark
metrics to improve pre-site, on-site and
post-site performance will make your
efforts more effective and deliver solid
results. Depending on your particular
product and service, there are a lot
of different ways to approach online
marketing. However you choose to ac-
complish your goals, there are five key
points to remember:
• Create consumer confidence: Address
all the reasons why someone might
question your product or purchasing
your product, and make it clear.
• Segment and personalize: Whenever
and wherever you can, break down
your target audience and deliver
more customized content that feels
tailored and unique to them.
• Nurture relationships: People usually
don’t buy on the first date. Give
people time to warm up to you.
• Market and remarket: Drive traffic to
your site in multiple ways and then
remarket to add depth to your story.
• Track and test: Leverage the data the
Internet gives you and optimize your
efforts through testing.
Footnotes
( 1) www.comscore.com
( 2) www.cheetahmail.com
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