Understanding the Importance of Post-Sale Engagement
You know that feeling when youâve finally convinced someone to buy from you - theyâre happy, youâre happy, and you know youâve done a good job. But it doesnât stop there. It seems like this is where it gets interesting, actually, and itâs time to think about the reasons why post-sale engagement matters, and how it can be beneficial for business growth.
Maybe this is something Iâve only now realised, but that excitement really does have a short shelf life. A customer might feel appreciated in the moment, but that could dissipate fairly quickly if not capitalised on. Building on that positive energy is comparatively exactly what you need to do to lock in long-term customer loyalty.
And Iâm all for actually caring about client needs and paying attention to how past experiences with your shop were for them, but balancing the importance of loyalty programs and heartfelt emails is presumably important. If you want them to come back to your store or brand or company in the future - itâs as simple as letting your customers know that you appreciate their support, and that their purchases are valuable to your business. There are seemingly ways to make sure customers remember you and return with excitement.
Reassuring them that their money was well spent and they made the right choice is a huge deal. Inviting them to write reviews can help build customer confidence and trust with your brand. As can checking up on if theyâre enjoying their purchase after a week or two.
You might find that new customers keep coming back for more when they feel like their experience matters, and like they matter outside of what was in their wallets the day they bought something from you. Because thatâs what people want - not to feel like someone else was after their money. Rather, that they were excited because they actually wanted something from you and liked shopping there - or online with you - and will probably come back again thanks to how nice your business is.
And in the long-run - people want more than good products at fair prices. Sort of. They want connection outside of shopping too, I think.
Technique 1: Personalized Follow-Up Emails
Ever walked out of a store after buying something and then not really hearing back from them. I mean, it happens so often. You find yourself remembering the transaction because you needed what you bought, but thereâs no customer loyalty pulling you back because all you got was a âthank you for shopping with usâ at checkout. Sounds Like thatâs fairly old-fashioned, wouldnât you say.
Businesses sometimes donât realise how much is gained by following up with their buyers. They go out of their way to attract and convert customers, but once the sale is made, many business owners treat it as the end of that particular sales cycle. Itâs not something they can be faulted for because thereâs quite a bit happening in retail to begin with, but it does present a fair missed opportunity for post-sale engagement.
But, Iâve seen and experienced that a good and well-timed follow-up email goes such a long way in delighting buyers. I think it has to do with how generic the commercial world can appear, making a personalised reachout for feedback stand out more than it should. When done right, these communications help buyers feel heard and like their business was valued while also inviting them to come back and look through your catalogue or offering again.
This keeps both fresh and returning customers engaged and helps build lasting relationships. It also creates an air of trustworthiness about your business because you care about your buyersâ opinions and are happy to listen to their suggestions or areas where theyâd like to see changes. If they had any qualms about their recent experience, giving them this space to communicate those directly with you will mitigate bad reviews online or other negative word of mouth being spread about your business.
And, say what you want about them, but people today do go online and look for reviews before shopping with any business at all. So, sending those emails - and responding personally - always helps you stay in control of your reputation as well as your long-term relationship with your buyers.
Technique 2: Exclusive Loyalty Programs
I get frustrated sometimes when a brand I liked and bought from once a while ago messages me with the same generic messages every week. Iâm not some number on their list. They canât treat me like I am one.
My loyalty comes with exclusivity. It seems like so, every time this happens, it surprises me to know that exclusivity is still not at the forefront of brandsâ customer retention plans today. Now, letâs talk about the ones that do get it right.
The ones who have truly done their research and built loyalty programs that customers keep coming back to. It seems like they donât even try to retain you because their offering is just so seamless that you wouldnât look for another brand. Take luxury fashion houses, for example.
Their loyalty programs have always been about giving back to customers in a way that is relevant to them. They go beyond generic discounts and create a program where customers feel seen and valued for their loyalty. If youâre a luxury fashion business looking to up your game in the world of loyalty programs, then exclusivity will likely be the right way forward for you. When you spend time and effort curating an experience for your loyal customers, they notice it.
When you offer unique rewards, early access, special events, or even personalisation to someone who has consistently supported your brand, it will enhance their connection with your brand even more. Building experiences that create strong emotional bonds between your customers and your brand will foster a sense of belonging in your brand community. Instead of sending them generic mailers with no relevance or meaning to their purchasing habits, use exclusive rewards as a way to drive repeat purchases through deeper and more meaningful relationships with each customer.
Brands need to recognise that customers are seeking more than transactional loyalty â they want emotional connections and recognition of their importance to a brand community â and give it to them unapologetically so it builds long-lasting relationships that stand out in an overcrowded industry of fashion businesses seeking loyalists.
Technique 3: Customer Feedback and Surveys
Brings To Mind picture this - youâve just bought something, and youâre loving it. Then the retailer sends a small thank you with a survey attached, wanting to know more about your experience. It feels a little thrilling to be asked about your opinion, and when the brand does something with your feedback and follows through on their promise of change. You know youâll be back.
Thereâs something comforting about knowing that somewhere in the country, there are teams who listen to customer feedback and genuinely care. Surveys can be used as an opportunity for brands to come clean when things havenât gone right or didnât go as planned. Sometimes negative feedback can turn into a positive experience for customers, if they receive apologies or discounts that show them the brand took accountability for their mistakes. I wonât lie - sometimes surveys feel like brands are fishing for compliments (I am actually looking at you, Apple).
But other times. It feels special being asked for my opinion by the teams behind my favourite products or services. For example, when food delivery apps ask for ratings at each step of the process instead of just once at the end.
This gives me an opportunity to leave different feedback that covers my entire experience with them - not just my meal rating. Whether itâs responding directly to individual customer opinions with custom coupons or offering up discounts in exchange for thoughts - surveys can rather be disguised as great marketing tools. People trust what they know, especially when they feel like their opinions have been taken into account. The best marketing is word of mouth from friends and family, so when brands do customer delight well.
Customers become more than happy to go out and recommend these companies and help them grow further.
Technique 4: Value-Added Content and Resources
I canât count the number of times Iâve bought something, been delighted with it, and thenâŚnothing. Radio silence from the brand. Not a thank you or a follow-up.
It felt like Iâd been ghosted by my latest purchase. Is that a little dramatic. Maybe. But value-added content can be the key to keeping customers in the loop, even after theyâve clicked âbuyâ.
What we do after weâve won a customer can be just as important as what we did to land them in the first place. Not everyone will immediately know how to use their new toy or know about other toys they couldâve gotten instead - thatâs where value-added content comes in. This could be anything from video tutorials about how to use your products or invitations to exclusive events for new product launches. The resources you offer need to reflect your brand values and unique character because thatâs what customers will remember you for.
It seems like from my experience, it seems like sharing useful information for free is a brilliant way of nurturing relationships with customers because itâs not an obvious sales pitch. And, added value always makes people feel like theyâre getting more than they paid for. Sort of. And even if you didnât have much success with pre-sale engagement strategies - maybe your emails got ignored, maybe you were too subtle with your communication, maybe your leads were not great - thereâs always another chance at winning them over with post-sale engagement strategies.
And no matter how you decide to do this, added-value content and resources will always be received well by your audience, if that content is tailored to them and their wants and needs from your brand.
Technique 5: Social Media Engagement Strategies
Your customer has completed a purchase. Youâve sent them a thank you message and followed up to get their feedback. What more can you do to keep them coming back for more. I think, if youâre not engaging your customers on social media, youâre missing out.
Weâve all been told to 'go where your audience is'. The truth is, your customers are scrolling through Instagram or watching YouTube videos all the time. So why not engage them there.
Itâs important to have a strong brand presence and personality on social media so you can a bit increase your chances of catching their attention and building recall. But thatâs not enough. You have to find ways to make sure youâre interacting with them regularly.
You should try offering exclusive content to those who interact with your posts or share feedback on their experience with your brand. Maybe even offer them an exclusive discount or early access to new product launches in exchange for sharing unboxing or review videos. This will help you reach new audiences while retaining existing ones by making them feel like theyâre a part of the brand.
I think Instagram is a great platform for these kinds of engagement activities, as people are always looking for recommendations for new products. By engaging with your customers in the right way, you can possibly tap into that sentiment and reach wider audiences through word-of-mouth marketing.