September 27, 2021
How to Revive Connections with Former Customers
It happens. People buy from you and they love you. Then life gets in the way,and they don’t return. Sometimes it’s because they no longer have use for your products or services like when you sell gourmet dog biscuits, and they no longer have a pet. Sometimes they moved out of your area, and you don’t offer e-commerce options. Most often though, your business has simply slipped their minds. It’s no longer on their radar or part of their buying habit. It wasn’t something you did. They just have other things going on. In these cases, you need to reengage them and bring yourself backto top of mind. Here are a few ideas on how you can do that.
10 Ideas to Reengage Past Customers for More Sales
Selling to previous customers is easier than winning over new ones. It costs less and because they’ve given you their money once—unless they had a terrible experience—they are likely to do it again…once you pique their interest.
Here are ten ways you can get them to pay attention to you again:
1. Send to your list.If you have a past customer list, use it. Send out an email (or mailer) telling them you miss them. Offer them a discount,BOGO offer, or free gift (or upgrade) with purchaseto bring them in the store again.
2. Host and market an event. Invite people whose past buying history matches your event.
3. Share pictures of past customers (if you have them) and invite people to tag themselves on social media.
4. Start sending out email newslettersor launch an email nurture campaign.
5. Utilize digital retargetingthrough Facebook or Google so your ads are shown to people who have visited your site.
6. Post pictures on Facebook of your itemsand tag the items with cost and description (this is a nifty feature on Facebook).
7. Ask people to share pictures of themselveson social media with whatever they purchased from you.
8. Ask funny questions (or tell stories)involving your product or services on social media. For instance, if you’re a plumber, ask your social media audience what they think the weirdest thing you’ve ever pulled out of a drain wasand then tell them.
9. Create a Facebook group for past customers (if it makes sense for your product and brand).
10. Attend industry (or community) events. Nothing like the serendipitous meeting to get them thinking about you again.
When it comes to reengaging customers, it’s a lot like your other relationships. Out of sight can be out of mind. Even if you’re not out of mind, you need to spur action. If you want to increase sales, you must reconnect.
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September 20, 2021
Improve Your Networking Results with a Four-Point Plan

If you joined the chamber to meet new people, grow your network, and get more customers, you’re on the right track. But do you have a plan to make the most of your time investment? If not, you need one.
What Am I Doing Here? Map Out an Effective Networking Plan
There may be many reasons you’re interested in that networking event. First, ask yourself who it is you want to meet. Are you there for:
- People in your target market
- Vendors that provide services and items you need for business
- Partners or complementary service providers (partnering with the healthy juice bar when you’re a gym, can be mutually beneficial)
- Industry peers for a best practice exchange or referrals
Beth Bridges, the Networking Motivator acclaimed speaker and author of several books on networking, says “A smart networker never goes to a networking event ‘hoping’ to find a prospect. Instead, they will be ready to act on one of several very specific plans that they will have set in advance—or are ready to pivot to—if the event turns out to be something different than they anticipated.”
Here are two potential plans she suggests:
The Fourth Person You’ll Want to Meet
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September 7, 2021
Why a Chamber Membership Is the Secret Ingredient to Your Business Success
Everyone wants to know the secret to business success. You know the one that happens overnight with very little work? The one business secret that can be doing its thing while you enjoy a much-deserved day on the greens or the open water? Success that happens automatically, like the rubbing of a genie’s bottle?
But guess what?
There’s no such thing. Even for those rare businesses that do well overnight (like people who bought fidget spinners in bulk and sold them at a huge profit), to increase sales past that initial push, they need to work to put things in place that will ensure long-term success.
But what if I told you there is a secret to long-term business success and it’s incredibly easy to put into place? You wouldn’t believe me because I just said business success is hard, and it is, but when you have the right tools it becomes easier.
Chamber membership is one of those secret ingredients for business success.
Why Chamber Membership Is the Secret Ingredient to Success
Chambers may not be secret societies but they are often underestimated in their ability to help. Here’s how they can assist your business growth in ways that may have been secret to you up until now:
1. They Make Sure the State and Local Business Climates Are Ideal for Business
Many of us assume that all politicians would be pro-business because business is good for the entire economy, but that’s simply not true. Your needs must be represented as a state and local level. If they aren’t, legislative issues that are bad for business could affect your ability to grow your operations down the line.
2. Chambers Are Excellent Matchmakers
Everyone knows chambers throw networking events but what some people don’t realize is that they also can help introduce you to people you want to meet. For instance, if you know you need an accountant that has experience in your field, the chamber can often introduce you directly. They don’t charge a matchmaking fee or any sort of commission. They are natural connectors.
3. They Have a Large Business-Oriented Audience
Chambers serve up top-notch business resources so they attract a business-oriented audience. If that’s what you’re looking for, analyze who follows the chamber and follow those people as well.
4. They Can Help with Sourcing
Many people know to go to the chamber for their hiring needs, but did you also know the chamber is a reliable source for addressing workforce development concerns? If you have needs for your future workforce, let the chamber know. They can be on the lookout for that type of employee or can work with those behind local training and recruitment to ensure you have the human resources you need.
The chamber does many things that you may not have realized could benefit your business. These activities may not actually be secret but they can be the secret behind your business success.
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August 30, 2021
How to Take Your Customer Relationship to the Next Level
Do you want to wow your existing customers? Are you ready to take your “relationship” with them to the next level? Then it may be time to grab your data and do some personalized marketing.
What You Need
To get your customers’ attention, you need to have tools in place to measure things like buying frequency and purchase history. You’ll also want your customers’ email addresses.
If you don’t have that, start collecting it. If you do, let’s talk about how you can use it to drive additional sales.
Selling to existing, repeat customers is one of the easiest ways to increase sales. They already love you. But even people who love you and your products/services can forget to buy from you, especially if you sell a product or service that is want based, not need based, like a restaurant.
You will find it necessary at some point to remind your customers of their love for you. A personalized email is ideal for this.
Components of a Standout Personalized Reminder Email
When some business owners think about “personalized” emails, they think of form fields that insert names.
But we’re moving beyond that.
This type of reminder email speaks to your personalized relationship with your customer, making it a whole lot more effective in driving sales than simply referring to someone’s name. In addition to using their name, you want to include:
Purchase History
Don’t include everything they’ve ever bought. That may be overwhelming, and they may decide they’ve spent too much money with you. Instead, highlight what they bought most often.
“You sure do like our decadent chocolate shake, maybe almost as much as we like having you as a customer.
Wouldn’t today be the perfect day to order one?
Mmmmm. Chocolate.”
Drive those impulse buys.
Upsell Opportunities
Suggest other things they may love next time they’re buying from you. Point out how convenient, popular, or valuable your other offerings are.
“You know what one of our most popular services is? Eyebrow waxing.
We tame most of the brows in town and that service is the perfect complement to the highlights you already love.
In fact, the waxing can be done while your color cures.
That way you leave with gorgeous hair and a refined look with no additional time out of your day.
Just what you need, right?”
More Ways to Love You
In the email, suggest more ways to love your services or products. End the email with a call to action. This could be an invitation to stop in, coupon for their next visit, an invitation to try a new location, sharing ways to connect on social, or a picture of their favorite item or service and a “we miss you” invitation. This message will get them thinking about you again and drive more sales. Remember to use evocative imagery in your close so that they can’t help but come see you soon.
Remaining top of mind is critical to getting more sales from loyal customers. Giving them a little “friendly reminder” email is free and will help you stay connected.