Your lead nurturing strategy for ecommerce is not only an excellent tool to bring in new customers. It is also a powerful tool to reach out to your current customers. Whatever the nature or size of your shop may be, you cannot afford to ignore customer retention. Returning customers cost less to target and require less time, effort and resources compared to new leads.
The reason for this is simple. Once someone has made a purchase, they have moved up their lifestyle. From there, there are a few things that could happen. That customer could become an unofficial brand promoter, telling everyone they know how amazing you have been. The customer may return once again, only to be never seen after that. That customer could return monthly, weekly or even daily. Knowing how to align your lead nurturing strategy with your customer retention goals is always a good way to get the full value of returning customers without wasting valuable time or effort.
Simple Ways to Align Your Lead Nurturing Strategy to Retain Customers
Some of the simplest ways that you can use your lead nurturing strategy to target returning customers more effectively include the following:
- Increase order size and value. Upselling and cross-selling both offer effective lead generation strategies to increase the size and value of orders. A campaign that is designed to build trust and increase reputation is the most effective way to encourage both upselling and cross-selling. This can be achieved through a carefully planned email series that opens with suggestions on related products, returning customer discounts, limited time off related products, two for one type deals and other offers.
- Bring people back. Abandoned cart emails are an excellent way to bring customers back. Although these work well for new customers who have not yet completed their purchase, it can also work for existing customers who leave their cart for any reason. The trick with this email is to time it carefully so that customers have had a short time to think, without going to your competition. Sending a reminder email the following day after the abandoned purchase can go a long way, especially if you offer an enticing incentive to return and complete the sale.
- Stay front of mind. Over and beyond trying to sell to your customers, what are you doing to keep your shop front of mind? Regular newsletters are just one way to keep customers from forgetting about your shop. Specials newsletters that offer monthly deals and offers are also effective. You could get creative with the help of segmentation and personalisation, crafting interesting, rewarding emailers that keep your brand in mind at all times.
Once you begin to consider what returning customers really want it will become a lot easier to plan a lead nurturing strategy that is designed to convert current and old customers.
