After years of planning and countless hours of hard work, your business is finally attracting customers through the doors.
Whatever you do, don’t let all that effort go to waste by thinking that your work is done.
A repeat customer can provide you with essential feedback on what works and what doesn’t as you grow your business.
They are one of the biggest untapped resources your business has.
However, most customers need encouragement and a certain amount of effort on your part to become loyal to your business.
And there may be things you are doing that actually discourage your customers to return to shop in your store.
With 30 years of experience as a retail store sales consultant, Silverman Consulting and Retail Services is here to help.
Let’s examine some of the most common mistakes we have seen businesses making when it comes to customer retention.
1. Making A Poor First Impression
The moment your customer walks through the door, they should feel welcomed.
Picture walking into someone’s home and being ignored, not even a hello, and how awkward that feels.
The initial interaction with your customer is vital, even if it is just a simple “hello”.
Their first impression of your store will be a lasting one – is the stock organized? Is the environment welcoming?
It shouldn’t matter how busy you are, whether you are having a bad day, or whether you just had a bad experience with a previous customer.
Put your customer at ease so that they enjoy their shopping experience, and make sure they know you are available to answer their questions if they have any.
No one enjoys feeling that they have intruded on someone’s space, just by walking into a store.
That first impression is lingering, and if it’s a good one, it will encourage your customer to visit again.
2. Having Inconsistent Hours
No one likes making a trip to a store to pick up that special item only to find it closed.
If you are able to set your own hours, examine your store hours and ask yourself whether they will be a surprise to your customers.
Do you open later than the other businesses in your area and close earlier?
Try keeping a count sheet of number of customers in the door, and how many of them make a purchase every 30 minutes for a week or two.
Feel free to ask the early morning shoppers and late evening shoppers what brought them in at this time.
As tempting as it is to schedule your business around your life – after all, it’s one of the perks of being your own boss – first think of the impression this may make on your customer.
A closed sign suggests to the customer that the business is not really a priority, so why should they shop there?
If an emergency arises that necessitates the need to close the store, consider calling in support staff.
Another tactic that customers will love is applying the 5/10 rule.
Schedule your team to accommodate an extra 15 minutes a day and always open 5 minutes before your posted time and don’t lock the doors until 10 minutes after the posted closing time.
Keep your hours consistent so that there are no surprises.
3. Changing Your Store Too Often
Keeping your stock fresh and up to date is important, especially the areas your regular customers visit frequently.
Changing window displays seasonally suggests to your customer that there is new product to see.
Moving hot sellers to key areas of the store, reorganizing to liquidate old stock, and changing the impulse selection at your point of sale encourages repeat customers to pick up new items on each visit.
When making larger changes, it is always helpful to use signage in the old sections to point them to the new.
Make your customer aware of any major changes, and that you are there to help them navigate the store, the moment they walk through the door.
4. Neglecting To Advertise
The importance of having a website, a Facebook page, or some other type of online presence cannot be stressed enough in our current environment.
Don’t assume that your customer knows where to find you, when you open and close, or that they will pick up the phone to call you and ask questions.
Engaging with your customers through social media creates buzz, allows you to share news about new product, and reminds your valued customers that it is time for a repeat visit.
Start a blog, plan an online promotion or giveaway, and give your customer every opportunity to consider visiting you again.
5. Taking Repeat Customers For Granted
The thesis of this article is never to assume anything about your customer.
You need to do everything you can to encourage a repeat visit.
A first time customer who has had a positive shopping experience may share with you how much they enjoyed their experience.
That’s wonderful, but now it’s time to take advantage of their enthusiasm by engaging with them in some way.
Thank them for their business, encourage them to write an online review, or sign them up for your loyalty card, newsletter, contest, or other programs you may have.
Most small businesses do not have any sort of rewards program, but a store loyalty program is a great way to encourage customers to visit often.
Handing out a coupon during a busy holiday season, valid for a future date, inspires your customer to become a repeat visitor in a time you may really need it.
Tailor your promotions towards your business and your customer, finding new ways to reward returning customers.
Contact Silverman Consulting & Retail Services Today
In the competitive world of retail sales, taking every opportunity to re-engage with your customer is vital.
Every business is different and will have different strategies for customer retention.
Why not work with a retail services consultant to discover the best approach for your business.
Contact Silverman Consulting and Retail Services and let us help you find new ways to engage and excite your customers.
Silverman Consulting & Retail Services229 Yonge St suite 400,
Toronto, ON M5B 1N9, Canada
1 (888) 955-1069