Getting that repeat, consistent business is something that all business strive for. It’s much easier (and less expensive) to sell to an existing client than it is to gain a brand new client. Unfortunately, many online businesses believe that once the website is published and there are a few blog posts up, the customers are going to come in droves to buy the product or service being sold. Sadly, this is not the case. In order to really get loyal, repeat customers, it’s important to communicate with them often and give them something of value. One of the ways to do this is through newsletter marketing. Newsletters, whether in print or via email, are a timeless way to keep customers informed and build a solid customer base.
Sadly, this is not the case. In order to really get loyal, repeat customers, it’s important to communicate with them often and give them something of value. One of the ways to do this is through newsletter marketing. Newsletters, whether in print or via email, are a timeless way to keep customers informed and build a solid customer base.
In order to really get loyal, repeat customers, it’s important to communicate with them often and give them something of value. One of the ways to do this is through newsletter marketing. Newsletters, whether in print or via email, are a timeless way to keep customers informed and build a solid customer base.
In order to attract those loyal, repeat customers, you will need to do a couple of things:
- Communicate with them often, and
- Give them something of value
I started the practice of communicating through newsletters back in 1997, when I published my first non-profit Christian newsletter. I saw the positive results that the newsletter was having on my readership right away. People started donating more, there were more volunteer writers signing up to write articles and even ad sales increased.
I believe what makes this style of communicating so relevant is that it offers value and convenience to the subscriber. The e-newsletter can be referred back to (in archives) and the publisher gets to recap old information and introduce new information to subscribers.
Whether you’re offering a product or a service, as long as you’re providing something of value in the best interest of your customers, you can create customer loyalty for your business. Here are a few more tips on how you can make that happen:
1. Offer valuable, rich content to your subscribers. Don’t just give them a couple of quick tips, but offer real, solid information that they can use. Create information that makes them want to read next month’s issue.
2. Develop a newsletter theme and stick to it. For instance, if your current monthly theme is Mardi Gras, make your e-newsletter and banners lively and colorful. You can also create a “sale” theme that coincides with a certain time. For instance, if it’s Friday the 13th, have everything go on sale for 13% off on that day only.
3. Keep your newsletter brief but offer powerful, value-packed content. You always want to give your customer take-away value. If you have too much information or too many pages in the newsletter, it’s unlikely that your customer will read it all, let alone finish it. Although newsletters typically range from two to twenty pages, a comfortable, readable length would be 4 pages, including an order or response page. Which leads to…
4. Always place in the newsletter a call to action (CTA) from your customer. Whether it’s to request more information or to place an order, if you request something from the customer, they are likelier to respond. This works in most any industry, as long as you offer a relevant product or service to your customer base.
5. Create easy access to the newsletter. Also, make it easy to subscribe and/or unsubscribe and you’ll also begin to build trust. As you build a trust relationship with your customers, they will come back for more – – guaranteed.
While distributing a newsletter for your business is just one way to increase customer loyalty, always focus on what the take-away value is. Once this is realized, you will begin to notice repeat customers that ask for more and more.
