How to transform one-time BFCM shoppers into loyal fans
Black Friday is over – but you still need to be thinking about all those new customers in your database. Here’s why…
It’s a familiar scenario: retailers emerge from the excitement and stress of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM), pausing only long enough for a quick round of high-fives, before immediately setting their sights on their Christmas campaign.
But moving on too quickly from BFCM misses a vital step, and one that’s vital for long-term success: converting one-time sales shoppers into loyal customers.
“Loyal customers are vital for sustainable business growth,” says James Bennett, the co-founder of LoyPal, which uses customer segmentation to drive loyalty and revenue.
“And yet during sales periods brands are often focussed on the new customer count and overall revenue – and pay little consideration to how they’ll engage customers and take them on a journey towards their all-important second purchase.”
The result? Retailers never recoup the investment they’ve made in acquisition (particularly given that the purchase that attracted the new customer is often discounted and low margin). “Without a second purchase in the short to mid-term, that acquisition was a bad deal for the brand,” says Bennett.
So, how can brands transform sales shoppers into loyal fans?
Build customer rapport
The short answer is to re-engage them. “Bring them along on the brand journey, and expose them to other products and services,” says Bennett.
While customers acquired during BFCM may have been attracted by a discount, the secret is to create a brand experience that convinces them to return.
And don’t wait too long to re-engage, advises LoyPal co-founder Andrew Fisher. “You need to start right away. It is always important to acknowledge someone new coming in soon after they have purchased. Just because they are buying at discount doesn’t mean they won’t ever shop with you again. This might be a test sale before deeper engagement.”
Tailor the content
It’s common for brands to treat new customers who have been acquired during sales periods no differently to those who arrive at the brand organically. They are often served the same welcome email series as ‘normal’ customers, for example. This is a mistake, says Fisher.
“Heavy promotions tend to pull in a different type of customer,” he says, explaining that it’s important to consider post-acquisition journeys arising from sales as being different to regular organic acquisition.
“Customers acquired during discount promotions may be less familiar with the broader brand proposition or the products or services that may be available.
“The key is to drive engagement to help get the customer comfortable with the purchase they made with a discount and to get them comfortable to buy at full price as well.”
Differentiate your brand
The period between BFCM and Christmas is a particularly noisy one, which is why it’s important for retailers to find ways to differentiate themselves.
That could mean creating an extended welcome series, which helps customers better understand the brand and potentially features top-performing content. “This is the perfect opportunity to drive to one-minute video content or light blog posts,” says Fisher. The idea is to build a rapport with the customer without expecting anything from them.
For more ideas about how to engage discount shoppers and transform them into loyal customers, contact LoyPal.
Don’t bombard
It’s important to strike a balance between engaging customers – and bombarding them with emails. “We all know the drill – as a customer, you get some good Black Friday deals and then spend the weeks leading up to Christmas unsubscribing from all the irrelevant newsletters and other comms,” says Fisher.
And don’t be concerned if you can’t convince every discount-hungry shopper to stick around in the long-term. “You can’t convert all customers into loyal customers,” says Bennett. “The market has trained customers to bargain hunt with next to no brand loyalty. That said, while you won’t convert all customers, you can certainly convert enough to make the strategy stack up in terms of value.”