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Have you ever had a customer return to your store after being upset? If so, congratulations, you win! However, if not, you are like most other entrepreneurs who struggle to get lost clients back.
Getting lost customers back is never an easy thing to do. You could try as much as possible, sending out repeated and persistent emails and calling them on the phone, but they may not respond. And then you just have to wait until they call you. But wait! That’s not the only way. There are more ways to get your old customers back right now. Keep reading to find out how!
Related: The Why & How of Retaining Old Customers
1. Ask why they left
You lost a customer. Now what?
You can’t win them back if you don’t know why they left in the first place. You need to ask them why they left, so you can understand what went wrong and how to fix it.
Ask your customers why they left, and listen carefully to their answers. Don’t interrupt or argue with them — just let them talk until they’re done explaining their side. And then, when they’re done talking, ask questions about what else could have made their experience better at your business.
If you don’t know why customers are leaving, how will you ever be able to fix the problem?
2. Offer a “We Miss You” promotion
Offering a “We Miss You” promotion can help you win back lost customers.
A “We Miss You” promotion is an offer that customers will only see if they return to your store after leaving. The offer can be a discount, a freebie or something else that would bring them back to your store.
This is one of the most effective ways to get lost customers back because it gives them the incentive to return and shows them that you care about them.
The best part about this type of promotion is that it doesn’t cost much money or time to implement, but it can greatly impact your bottom line.
For example, if you have a clothing store, you could offer them a discount on their next purchase if they come back within the next month. If you have a restaurant, you could give them free dessert on their next visit.
3. Don’t wait too long — it won’t be easy.
You are wrong if you think that waiting a few days or even weeks to reach out to lost customers will help them remember who you are and why they should come back.
The longer customers go without receiving your messages and offers, the harder it will be for them to remember why they liked your business in the first place. If you take too long, customers may have forgotten about your brand altogether!
Related: 4 Steps to Win Back an Unhappy Customer
4. Create a loyalty program
One of the best ways to win back lost customers is to create a loyalty program. By rewarding customers who have purchased from you in the past, you can re-engage with them and remind them of the value of your products or services.
Loyalty programs are also a great way to get referrals from existing customers. When someone who has previously purchased from you refers a new customer, that new customer is likely to be very happy with the service they receive — and may become loyal themselves!
You can create loyalty programs in many different ways. For example, discounts for repeat customers, multi-purchase discounts for purchasing multiple items at once or even free shipping offers on orders over a certain amount. Whatever type of program works best for your business will depend on what kind of products or services you offer — but don’t underestimate how much power these programs have!
5. Make it personal
There’s no way around it: You’ve got to make it personal. You must show your customers that you care about them and that their business matters to you. If you don’t want to lose them forever, you must show them they matter.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just ensure you’re showing up in their inboxes with personalized emails with their names in the subject lines. If they made a purchase recently, include a line about how much you appreciate them as a customer and how much you hope they’ll keep coming back for more great products or services. If they haven’t purchased anything from you in a while, send them an email asking how things are going and if there is anything you can do at your end of things to help them out.
The bottom line is that people like being shown that someone cares about their thoughts and feelings. It makes them feel valued and important, more invested in the relationship with your company — and ultimately, less likely to leave!
Related: Use This Powerful Method of Persuasion to Keep Customers Coming Back for More
A tip that goes without saying: Provide excellent customer service
Some customers leave because of poor service, and it’s not impossible to win them back. But if you want to ensure you’re doing everything possible to win back lost customers, start by providing excellent customer service.
“Good” is not good enough. You must go above and beyond with your customer service efforts to win back lost customers. This means showing genuine concern for their experience, addressing any issues they had with the product or experience they received and making sure they feel like they’re being listened to when they speak up about what went wrong — even if it wasn’t your fault!
If you can’t provide this level of service consistently, then it might be time to evaluate whether or not you’re ready for customers.
It is always important to fix mistakes with customers, and if you handle them correctly, you can even make the relationship stronger.
If you want an angry customer to come back, you should apologize and try to fix the problem. Remember: You are a business owner, and they are a customer that loves your business, so it’s in your best interest to keep them happy. After a situation like this, the first step should always be apologizing to the customer.
Don’t make excuses or expect them to get over it immediately; just say sorry and mean it. You never know; it could turn a bad situation into something good. Hopefully, these tips can help you keep your customers happy and improve your bottom line.
