Tuesday, February 22, 2011
PPC & Customer Loyalty
We all know pay-per-click ads get immediate results. We create ad campaigns, wait a little and watch the clicks come in. Well, that’s how its supposed to work. This is a front-loaded model of viewer attraction. But shouldn’t we be paying attention to our present and past customers as well? Seems silly, but often the rush for new viewers creates an awareness gap in our overall customer retention or loyalty programs.
One of our prized customers fits this description well. As in so many businesses, this client has an insatiable need for new viewers. In dollar amounts, more attention is paid to attracting new viewers rather than engaging past clients. This scenario is exasperated by the limited product and service mix and that the main products are relatively expensive. The question is how to balance the two fundamental conditions? This client needs to get his foot in the door and make better use of his client base to build a sustainable business.
Here are a few Ideas:
1. Continue with your pay-per-click campaigns.
It helps bring in new viewers which may become new customers. Make sure to fold in attractive incentives into your ads.
2. Offer entry level services and products almost anyone can afford.
By this I mean offer a relatively low cost service or product to the customer which allows you to develop a customer relationship. This is important, because if all your products are relatively expensive and beyond the means of most potential customers, then potential customers with lower budgets will look elsewhere. Seems intuitive enough, but remember all those clicks you just paid for that walked away? Some of those clicks could have been converted just by focusing more on low-cost products and services. Entry level services, or foot-in-the-door services allow you to develop a long-term relationship. It’s really about re-calibrating the goals you set for ad campaigns. Remember, your goal is to grow your customer base. So why ignore the possibility of a $50 service call someday converting into a purchaser of the a premium package?
3. Motivate Your Customers with Incentives
Ok, you just gave the $50 client the bill, now mention they can get a rebate if they agree buy the premium package in the next 3 months for example. Now, you’ve defined an upgrade path and an incentive. Use this opportunity to build the relationship further with an expert evaluation of whatever field of service you are practicing. No rush to act this moment, but as you leave, the customer now has something to think about. But the best thing you’ve done so far is having established a customer relationship.
4. Reward you Customers
Again, we can’t assume a $50 client doesn’t know someone looking for your premium services, right? Create a customer referral program that allows and encourages all customers to benefit when they refer a paying customer to you. worried about cost? Well, look at it this way: it’s a bonus based on an actual sale whereas PPC is a money spent with no promise of reward. The reward can be limited to the premium package, or not.
4. Remember your Customers
I don’t mean nagging them with special offers via the mailing list. I mean one of the old-school methods—send a holiday card or birthday card. I bought a truck from a dealership in Portland 11 years ago and I still get birthday cards. There no calls to action, nothing other than birthday wishes. Its simple and feels sincere.
Conclusion
By building a customer base from the ground-up, you are motivated to create incentive programs that encourage customers to embark down the upgrade path. Rather than focus solely new viewers, you can mobilize your customer base with common sense incentives and rewards. Remember, a website has three primary layers : engagement, attraction and conversion. But we can’t lose site of the fourth—retention. If you’re not careful the quest for new viewers can obscure the view of your most powerful asset—your past customers.
(0) Comments •