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There is only so much information you can gather about customers when they shop in your store. In your transactions, you can only see their credit card numbers, what they look like and what they bought. The intel you receive about them is very limited.
When customers go online to shop, however, you can collect specific data about them like their shopping habits, demographic, what they like to click on and how they interact with your e-store. Since you’re able to find all this out, you can then tailor offers to them and forge long-lasting relationships.
There are a variety of strategies you can utilize to persuade your in-store customers to engage with your business online. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Email is a great way to get customers interested in your business. It’s been found that email is 40 times more effective for acquiring customers over Twitter and Facebook, and 72 percent of people would rather receive promotional content through email rather than social media.
When customers are at the register and checking out, ask them for their email addresses. Explain the benefits of giving out their emails, such as coupons, company news and access to exclusive content they wouldn’t get elsewhere. Assure them that they can cancel their subscriptions at any time. Make sure that you give customers the opportunity to tweak their email newsletter settings to only receive the email newsletter when it’s convenient for them (i.e. once a week or once a month).
People are using smartphones now more than ever when making purchasing decisions. According to Convince & Convert, four out of five consumers use smartphones to shop. Additionally, 44 percent of consumers reported that they would like coupons from brands delivered to their phones.
When customers are at checkout, mention to them that they’ll receive coupons through mobile texting if they give you their phone numbers. Then, send the coupons around the same time every month so customers know when to expect them.
Customers may be reluctant to give you their personal phone numbers and emails. In that case, put flyers next to your register and point them out to customers. You could also place them in the customers’ bags with the goods they bought. Include website offer codes on these flyers for a certain percentage off their next online order.
Everyone loves having the chance to win free swag. On your receipts, put a web address where customers can take a survey about your store and receive a discount code in exchange. Before customers can start the survey, collect their emails so you can foster a relationship through email newsletters.
It’s been found that acquiring a new customer is five to ten times more expensive than selling to an existing one. To retain your customers, create a loyalty program that requires an online account.
Tell your customers about it when they’re checking out and place signage about the program around the store. Make the rewards program easy to remember; for example, you could say for every $100 you spend online, you get $20 in rewards. Customers will become more loyal to your company if they see that they’re getting something in return for their purchases.
By creating and nurturing relationships with customers both in-store and online, you’re going to propel your business forward and encourage more sales all around.
Kylie Ora Lobell is a technology writer who creates content for various tech and marketing publications, including how to leverage your brand and engagement with mobile technology for eBay.com.
