[Welcome back to our Word of Mouth Marketing Lessons newsletter. This is text from the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using this handy form.]
Sometimes your company’s biggest fans aren’t talking about you. Why? That new customer excitement has turned into return customer loyalty — which is still great, but it doesn’t have the same word of mouth impact.
Here’s how to revive your regular customers’ enthusiasm for talking about your stuff:
1. Make them feel important
2. Give them milestones
3. Ask for their feedback
1. Make them feel important
Your regulars buy your stuff time and time again over your competitors — why not return the love? Loyalty programs are great for making regulars feel special, but your strategy doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, some convenience stores will stock certain items for return customers, some bars will keep personalized mugs, and some restaurants have named dishes after great customers.
2. Give them milestones
Want to earn word of mouth from your best customers and show off their dedication to your stuff? Give them a reason to celebrate doing a lot of business with you. Every year, Remember the Milk sends users a sharable email showing how many tasks they’ve checked off. It gives their users a reason to brag while also demonstrating to everyone else how much Remember the Milk is a part of their lives.
3. Ask for their feedback
The customers who buy your stuff the most would be happy to give you their opinions. So ask your regulars for their feedback, and let them know how important it is to you. For example, InterContinental Hotels Group does it with their private online community, the Priority Club. The club brings in great feedback from their best customers and gives their loyal customers a status worth talking about.
