Overlooked Ways to Encourage Repeat Business

Overlooked Ways to Encourage Repeat Business

For years, when I ran low on laser-printer toner, I would search online for refurbished cartridges that were reasonably priced with good reviews. Now I know, reliably and with no remembering on my part, exactly where to buy my next toner cartridges. Ink Technologies, which provides quality cartridges, did me the favor of pasting a large, colorful sticker with its phone number and web address on its boxes. Other companies shipped boxes with no contact information. A coupon offering a discount or bonus on a customer’s next purchase can also help. Although many companies require buyers to enroll in their loyalty program, you can also simply email first-time customers that they’ve earned reward points, and explain how the system works. — For certain product categories, such as cosmetics or supplements, you might lock in repeat business by offering subscriptions for standing orders or even for recurring “mystery boxes.” Branding Reminders Some tactics increase customer loyalty without discounts, trinkets, points programs, or special emails. I once returned to L.L.Bean an outdoor thermometer that stopped working a few years after I had received it as a gift. The company replaced it, no problem. In other words, your values, policies, and mission can prompt repeat business.

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For years, when I ran low on laser-printer toner, I would search online for refurbished cartridges that were reasonably priced with good reviews. This did not work well. Some units produced type that was too light. Others were smeary. And once a cartridge that was supposed to be compatible with my printer did not function at all.

I should have simply tracked which refurbished cartridges did work out and where I bought them. But with three or four months between purchases, I never organized myself to solve this minor problem.

Now I know, reliably and with no remembering on my part, exactly where to buy my next toner cartridges. Ink Technologies, which provides quality cartridges, did me the favor of pasting a large, colorful sticker with its phone number and web address on its boxes. Other companies shipped boxes with no contact information. Since I save the boxes to recycle cartridges more easily, all I have to do to place my reorder is to glance at the top of the box.

The large reminder sticker on this toner cartridge box from InkTechnologies.com is eye catching and helpful for reorders.
The large reminder sticker on this toner cartridge box from InkTechnologies.com is eye-catching and helpful for reorders.

Tangible Reminders

Given how much more profitable returning customers are than first-time buyers, it’s amazing how many companies put so little effort into encouraging repeat sales.

Consider imparting something visible and obvious to your customer as a memory prompt. As the Ink Technologies example shows, this doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive. Branded magnets, pens, mouse pads, or key fobs all tend to get retained and used by recipients. They have an even greater impact because they’re perceived as an unexpected gift.

A coupon offering a discount or bonus on a customer’s next purchase can also help. If you print that coupon on the bottom of the packing slip, it wouldn’t even cost an additional piece of paper.

Digital Reminders

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