The new year is here. This is the perfect time to go back to the drawing board and start everything with a fresh perspective. As a business owner, you want to see more sales, and increase your brand visibility. The best way to achieve this is to reflect on your past hits and misses, and come up with a workable strategy for the year.

While devising a new business plan for 2017, don’t forget: 65% of your business comes from your existing customers. There are countless ways to attract leads, but customer retention is a whole other story.

So how do you keep your customers coming back to you? Engagement is the name of this game, and email marketing is the key. Email is the most common channel of communication with your customers and if properly utilized, will keep you from losing customers to the competition.

Before we get into it, keep in mind what your existing customers do for your brand:

• They bring down the cost of acquiring new customers.
• They buy more from you because they trust you.
• They spread the word about your brand to their networks and bring you more business.

Now, with that said, here are 7 ways in which you can win your customer’s heart and reward yourself with repeat business.

1. Plug the gap with relevant content.

Your customers already know about your brand and your offerings. Engagement for them is all about the extras you bring to their table. It is important that you value their time as much as your own, and tailor your content for each individual. Group your customers based on recency/frequency/value of their purchase, geographic location, etc., to make targeting easier.

2. Make a personal connection.

Add a personal touch to every message you send your customers. Wishing them on their birthdays, anniversaries, or sending a simple thank-you email can be subtle ways to show them you care. Although these messages are automated, your customers will be sure to appreciate your gestures.

3. Create a sense of belonging.

The best way to make your customers feel connected to your brand is by involving them in discussions about product tweaks and improvements. Conduct NPS surveys asking for suggestions or feedback to measure customer experiences as well as predict your business’ growth. This will not only keep them engaged, but also help you better understand your product from their perspective.

4. Listen to their problems.

If you want to take your brand to the next level, be open to both positive and negative feedback. When a customer raises an issue, make sure to respond quickly with a solution to their problem. Don’t stop there, follow up with them once the issue has been solved to improve customer relations.

5. Speak their language.

Run a customer-centric email campaign that highlights a customer’s journey with your brand. It can be a case study, a tweet, or a video testimonial. You can use the opportunity to plan some fun events, invite participants, and display the top performing customers in your newsletters. This way, you will be seen as a brand that puts customers first.

6. Reach out to your lost customers.

Customers spend a lot of time evaluating a brand before making a purchase. If a customer decides to drop your brand, there is usually a reason. Write to any lost customers to ask them what went wrong and assure them that their complaints will be addressed in order to rekindle your connection. Once your relationship has improved, run a win-back email campaign to keep them updated about any changes that might have been implemented while they were away.

7. Make way for loyalty programs.

Every brand wants to stay in the front of their customer’s mind, and running loyalty programs is an easy way to make that happen. Introduce customers to your referral schemes and reward them for every new customer they bring you. Give them free passes to your events, send them discount coupons during a sale, or give away goodies branded with your company logo and message to make them feel valued.

Try out these tips and share your experience with us by leaving a comment below.