2020 has not been an easy year for dorm-based entrepreneurs. The pandemic has caused enormous disruption to both their studies and their business activities. In an age where consumer confidence has plummeted, many consumers are thinking very hard about where their money goes. And the sad truth is that small businesses have suffered as a result. Unless your name happens to be Jeff Bezos, there’s a good chance that the pandemic has taken a toll on your business. Your orders may still be coming in, but they’re a trickle rather than a stream. And every single customer seems harder won than ever.
Let’s face it. You don’t have the time, the resources or the marketing budget to improve your search engine ranking and engage that many new customers. But that’s okay. You can feather your nest by luring repeat customers back to your business. By generating more value for existing customers you can build a strong base upon which you can gradually build. It’s certainly the most sustainable way to grow your business. Still, at a time when it feels like every sale is a battle, how are you going to keep your customers?
Give them rewards that matter to them
Discounts, freebies, vouchers and rewards are great. But unless you’re offering the kind of rewards that matter to your customers, you’ll find that they aren’t embraced as readily as you’d have hoped.
Do they want discounts off their next purchase? Exclusive deals from other partner businesses? Turkey and ham gifts to feed their families? Buy one get one Free offers? Multi-Buy offers? A little market research can go a very long way. Take the time to find out what your customers really want and you’ll find that your rewards schemes gain much more traction.
Use unique, single-use voucher codes
Speaking of rewards, everyone’s looking to make a saving right now. These are economically turbulent times, and your customers are only going to put their hands in their wallets if they perceive a great deal on the horizon. However, traditional voucher codes can leave you vulnerable in ways that could damage your already delicate margins. Make sure you invest in the software tools to create unique single-use voucher codes that can’t be misused or spammed. The same software will also enable you to deliver targeted offers to customers based on their previous purchases or even products they’ve looked at on your website.
Embrace gamification to make offers fun
Finally, we all need a little bit more fun in our lives at a time like this. Gamification can allow you to make the experience of using promotions, making purchases and collecting rewards more fun. It can give them a sense of accomplishment and makes them feel a little better about spending. There are all kinds of ways in which you can use gamification from collecting points to earning special discounts when you “level up” to completing challenges.
A little sense of imagination and adventure goes a long way. You have the power to not only give your customers a great deal, but a distraction from these very hard times.
No comments yet.