There are many different marketing strategies that can be incredibly valuable to your pet business. One that is often forgotten is your repeat customers. Though they may not seem like an obvious way to market your business, they are one of the most valuable assets for your business. Repeat customers that are happy with the service you provide can power your marketing strategies. These customers will not only tell their friends and family about your services, but they are also likely to spend more money. Below are five reasons why repeat customers are important for your pet business.
1 – THEY ARE LESS EXPENSIVE
Acquiring new customers is important, but repeat customers are even more valuable to your pet business. Many companies put all of their marketing efforts into finding new clients when it is ten times more expensive to find a new customer than to get past customers to purchase again. Launch customer retention programs by offering bulk packages for your services. This will immediately give them a reason to come back, which gives you plenty of time to demonstrate exemplary customer service. Go above and beyond! Sending your clients home with a professional photograph or hand-written thank-you note are a couple of additional ways to increase retention.
With ProPet Software, you can build custom packages for your clients that can be easily purchased and paid for online. Additionally, you can set up automated reminders for your grooming customers to remind them when their pet is due for their next groom appointment. Using the MailChimp integration, you can quickly send reminders to specific groups of clients to let them know to reserve their spot during the busy season, like Christmas or Thanksgiving.
2 – THEY PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS FOR YOU
Word of mouth is the most valuable form of marketing for your pet business. According to a 2012 Nielsen Advertising Report, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over all other forms of advertising. Word of mouth marketing is so useful because potential clients hear about your business from someone they know and trust. Repeat customers are more likely to be happy customers who will tell other people about their experiences. They are the ones referring your business when a friend asks for recommendations and writing 5-star reviews to boost your credibility and social proof. Go above and beyond and show your customer’s that you care.
Create automated Thank You emails directly in your ProPet account and guide your customers to your review sites. A happy customer will gladly give you a glowing review.
3 – THEY ARE LIKELY TO SPEND MORE
Since a repeat customer doesn’t need convincing that your service is exceptional, they are more likely to purchase more often and on average spend more per booking. They will help increase your revenue since they are more inclined to add on that extra bath or an extra little treat. Remember, people buy from people they like, and if they feel their pet is safe and well-loved, they will be more inclined to add additional services to the reservation.
ProPet’s online booking process was designed to help you increase your profits by subtly upselling to your customers. This allows you to organize your additional services and items so that they can be added conveniently to their reservation.
4 – THEY HELP WITH SERVICE EXPANSION
An excellent way to grow your pet business is to find more products and services to offer your existing customers. For example, if you are running a boarding kennel or a dog daycare, you may want to consider expanding your services to include additional services such as grooming or training. Since you already have a relationship with your repeat customers, they will be more open to trying new services or products that you start offering. Reaching out to your clients to see if there is a want or need before expanding is a great way to validate your new offerings before making the investment.
Create an exclusive mailing list for your customers so they can be the first to know about new offerings from your business. Using MailChimp is an easy and simple way to send updates and newsletters to your active client list right through ProPet.
5 – THEY HELP YOU LEARN ABOUT YOUR TARGET MARKET
The pet industry is alive and growing with new businesses popping up every day. This means that it is more crucial than ever to know your target market and how to stand out from your competition. Use your repeat customers to determine who your ideal customer is and build targeted marketing campaigns around people with similar demographics, buying behaviors and characteristics. Do you know how your customers found your business? If not, start asking! This will help you understand which marketing strategies are working best for you, as well as which ones your competitors are dominating and you need to improve on.
By using custom fields in ProPet, you can collect as much information from your customers as you desire. Asking your clients questions like how they heard about your business or the reason for needing your services can give you a deeper understanding of your target market. If you determine that a lot of your customers travel for business often or vacation multiple times a year, you can make an effort to go above and beyond for them as they are more likely to return in the future.
New customers are great, but repeat customers are a more valuable asset for your business. What strategies do you use to thank your repeat customers?
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