The June “Technology Roadmap” stop covers marketing to your
customers. When we think about marketing, we often think about using it to
bring in new customers as generating new leads is usually the focus of the
marketing department. However there has been a trend this last decade where the
focus is shared and companies are spending more time and money on improving
customer retention rates. Studies have shown that improving your customer
retention rates just 5% can increase your profits by over 25%. Keeping that in
mind, here are 4 additional reasons why marketing to your existing customers is
important.

1. Existing
   customers spend more money
   1. Your
      loyal customers have already chosen you and your products over that of
      your competitor. Since they trust and value your business, they are not
      as price-conscious and willing to spend more.
2. Positive
   customer relationships improve brand credibility
   1. Your
      customer service plays a huge role in promoting customer loyalty. If you
      have a loyal customer base you will have repeat clients, customer
      referrals and high retention rates. Some great examples of customer
      service include making customers feel special, addressing them by name,
      rewarding them, providing prompt support and customizing your automated
      replies and notices.
3. Aid
   in your product expansion efforts
   1. If
      the goal of your business is to grow and expand or introduce new or
      additional products, then a solid customer base is your best audience.
      Cross-selling is more effective if a strong relationship has been
      established. Using mediums like newsletters, SMS and social media
      consistently to your customers will help you expand your business faster.
4. Your
   existing customers will bring in the new customers
   1. When
      people love a service, product or company, they want to tell their
      friends about it. These personal recommendations will do more for your
      business than a random billboard would ever do. Another effective way to
      convert leads is from customer reviews detailing their experience with
      you. Make it easy to collect testimonials so you can use these powerful
      reviews to promote your business.

Now that we understand why it is so vital to market to our
customers here are some ideas you can put into action to market and solidify
these relationships.

• Mango
  Customer Message Centre – A module incorporated into Route Manger that
  integrates voice, SMS, fax, and email into a seamless process that allows
  you to reach out to your customers using the channel that they prefer. You
  can design, personalize and schedule reminders for past-due balances and
  billing, statements, invoice copies, upcoming delivery notifications,
  delayed services, marketing promotions, text messages that you’re arriving
  soon and much more.
• Sending
  out newsletters consistently – Using programs such as Constant Contact or
  Mail Chimp can make it easy to stay in communication. You can schedule out
  in advance, post automatically to social media and even resend emails with
  the click of a button.
• Create
  a loyalty or rewards program. Customers love to be recognized for
  referrals and purchases. You can also offer freebies or extras for
  loyalty.

Putting into action some of these steps and remembering to
appreciate your customers can go a long way when it comes to grown, longevity
and profitability for your business.