How to attract your customers back to your small business

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, businesses across the UK were forced to shut their doors. This has left business owners concerned on many different fronts, one of those being how they will attract their customers back as we progress out of lockdown.

We have looked at the things that you could do to help attract customers back to your business. Here are our top five tips:

1. Give them a reason to come back

One way to attract your customers back is to incentivise them with a discount voucher. The discount could be available for a ‘limited time only’, which in turn could create a sense of urgency. The value of your discount could be higher for customers most loyal to your business in the past, showing your appreciation in the process.

Secondly, be of use to your customers. If you’re unable to operate for unforeseen circumstances, continue helping them in any way that you can. For example, a personal trainer might start sending a monthly newsletter to his or her clients with hints and tips on how to keep fit whilst he or she is unable to train them face-to-face.

2. Communicate clearly and regularly

It is important to keep in touch with your customers or otherwise, you could lose them to your competitors. Each business will have its most effective communication channels, but the obvious ones to be active on social media and email. Subtly remind your customers about the benefits of your service or product. Moreover, whilst the success of brand awareness is difficult to gauge at times, your communication could help get your brand out there to new clients as your existing ones like, share and repost your material.

When communicating with your customers, show that you are empathetic to the current situation and express your company’s collective support during the pandemic. The tone should be relatable and communicate that we are all in this together.

Lastly, when you are back up and running, you need to let your customers know as soon as possible.,

3. Engage through social media

With more and more people spending time on social media to communicate with friends and family, you as a business can utilize this time to engage with your customers through these platforms.

Facebook, Twitter & Instagram are where your customers feel most comfortable, they utilize these platforms to leave reviews, discuss buying decisions and express their opinion on your company. As a business, you can use social media to learn more about your customers and respond to their reviews.

As well as posting updates on your business, try and provide some value to your followers/customers. You could achieve this by writing informative blogs about your products or services and post.

Your goal is to create or establish a lasting relationship with your customers.

4. Make it easy for customers to reach you

It is essential that your customers can communicate with your business as easily and smoothly as possible. Make it a priority to respond to social media comments, emails and voicemail messages promptly.

5. Adapt by offering new services or products

To attract your customers back, you need to adapt and evolve during changes in society. When unforeseeable circumstances happen, where possible adapt your business to meet the needs of your customers.

For example, Personal Trainers adapted their business model during the outbreak of COVID-19 by offering online workout classes. If you trade from a physical premise without an online presence, you could look at creating a website to sell your goods, and even if you do have a website, evaluate whether you can make it easier for customers to order, buy or book your goods.

About Protectivity

Protectivity is a specialist in niche commercial, leisure and lifestyle insurance. We cover thousands of individuals and small to medium size businesses across the UK, offering a range of tailored insurance products to protect our customers against unforeseen events.

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