5 ways to engage exisiting customers and get them to come back

The easiest group of people to sell to, are the ones that already know you and have engaged with your brand in the past. They understand the product offering, they know where to find you, and hopefully they also follow you on other channels. 

Aside from the obvious things like retargeting and discounts on next purchase, we’ve compiled a list of some of the smaller things that help engage your customers during their customer journey with you and increase their “delight” factor, resulting in a better and more memorable customer experience with your brand. 

Since human nature will always be more likely to do something again if the first time round was good, this needs to be a part of your strategy to grow a loyal customer base for the long term. 

Story telling - not marketing

First time customers can come to your website through so many avenues, it’s hard to know if they really know or understand anything before they convert. Every brand has a story, and it's up to you to tell it to your customers, so they have a better understanding of your brand and the products they’re looking at purchasing. Simply pushing products is now a tactic that is going out the door, people are more likely to purchase if they see value in the brand and the story they’re telling, and those are also the customers that will likely stick around as you grow your business.
Storytelling can be taken much further than campaign videos and an about page too, engaging customers with “welcome EDMs” and putting them through a funnel of learning about your brand as soon as they’ve purchased is a great tool for long term relationship and also increases the short term reconversion opportunities. Having them fully understand and feel invested in your brand story and mission makes encouraging them to reconvert even easier. 

Packaging 

When a product arrives, your customer is still within that initial customer journey. Nailing things like shipping is of course important, but so is having a great unboxing experience. Having the product arrive in branded or memorable packaging that aligns with your business and makes them feel like they’re receiving something special can really add to the customer experience. Your goal here is to increase their positive outlook through another phase of their journey with your brand, which will only increase the likelihood of them purchasing again.

If you think about Apple, they are known for their smooth, high end, glossy packaging with that unique apple box smell. It’s now a synonymous part of purchasing their products that customers look forward to. Another company that is really doing great things in this space is Seed. A unique unboxing experience with a mycelium (mushroom) based packaging that is beautifully presented and also engaging as it dissolves in water; it is perfectly on brand with their more eco conscious positioning. 

Gifts and add-ons

Alongside packaging, Branded stickers, patches, testers or anything other small gifts or add-ons that can be added to the delivery is a bonus. Skincare and beauty brands do this wonderfully by including testers for their customers to try and maybe also fall in love with. These things don’t cost you as a brand much, but can really increase the satisfaction for your customers. Especially if what you’re offering is unique. 

90% of consumers in a survey taken in 2012 stated that they were more likely to purchase again if their original package came with a free token gift. Cult Beauty is a company that is nailing this process, letting consumers pick their own free testers in the checkout, giving them the opportunity to try something new and also feeling as if they’re getting more “bang for their buck”.

Be human 

Throughout the increase in online shopping thanks to covid, many consumers are saying they have lost the human connection when supporting retailers or brands. A number of ecommerce brands have tried to fix this by offering online zoom product demos, more video content with people and unboxing, or something as simple as a written note in every parcel sent. Behind every brand there will be humans, and helping your customers realise that will only help them want to support their favourite people-centric brands, for a more personified and personal experience. Adding a more human centred feel to your site is a great way to showcase the people and be more relatable to your customers, and can directly link into Storytelling above.

Follow up 

Everyone is busy, it’s often easy to forget, a small and friendly reminder that you exist can be a great way to get customers to return. Whether through EDM’s or retargeting through instagram or facebook, keeping your brand front and centre in the customers mind is key, as long as it’s not too spammy or pushy. Ensuring it’s the customers decision and on their terms when they return to your store, you’re just reminding them what a great experience they had last time. 

Best approach for this is to engage them with new product offerings or content and in a space that feels natural - both for your product and also your target customer.

Would you like to know more about conversion and retention? Watch our webinar on how to convert and retain more customers!