Contributed By:
Guest Writer
Founder and CEO of Moburst
Source: Entrepreneur
Seventy percent of
companies say it’s cheaper to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one,
according to a report. And they are right: acquiring a new customer can
be five times more expensive, which is hopefully enough to
convince you that customer retention should be on your radar at all times.
So how do I retain customers you might ask?
The answer is simple: mobile marketing. Given that 60 percent of the time users spend online is through
their mobile devices, establishing a solid mobile presence ensures that your
customers always have a piece of your brand at the tip of their fingers.
Here’s how it’s done:
The right place, the right time
Mobile devices draw tons of information
from users. Some of this information, such as geolocation, can be instrumental
in optimizing your brand’s mobile product specifically for consumers. Knowing
where consumers are allows marketers to offer users content that’s relevant to
the situation they’re currently experiencing.
The most obvious way to use this data would
be to alert existing clients on new deals right when they are near your store
or company branch; however, there are ways to get more creative.
Airline KLM
is a great example. The company created a mobile game that lets users fly a paper jet
over a virtual version of the city of Amsterdam. Aside from being beautifully
made and very enjoyable, the game also uses mobile data to promote user
loyalty. With every purchase of a KLM flight users' win more points, but the
even cooler thing is that users can advance in the game when they are at the
airport gate waiting to board their KLM flight (using geo-location
technologies).
Fresh content and exclusive deals
To ensure users don’t lose interest in your
app, introduce new content as often as possible. Whether it’s cool music, text,
visuals or attractive deals, these kinds of elements will ensure users keep
coming back for more.
Now, you might be thinking at this point,
that by introducing as much content as possible, you are spamming people.
Wrong. If someone downloaded your app, it means that they’re interested in what
you have to offer. The more great content you put out, the more satisfied your
users will be. Even content that doesn’t necessarily directly relate to your
product but fits with its general concept is fair game.
Let's look at the Starbucks app. The app
features a variety of content (such as music) that doesn’t necessarily relate
to the products Starbucks is most known for selling. Users who have the app get
this content as an added value and check in with it regularly to see what’s
new. It’s a great way to make sure that your brand stays on the consumer's
radar.
Another way to promote user loyalty is by
using the mobile app to keep consumers up to date on new products and deals.
Being aware of deals before everyone else is good but not good enough. Instead,
offer users deals that are only available through mobile purchases to
incentivize app users to check in regularly.
A great example is that of an Israeli hotel
chain called Fattal.
The company managed to get not two but three birds with one mobile stone by
launching an app for last-minute deals. First, the company used this clever
move as a way of approaching new clients. Second, Fattal included special
discounts for loyalty club members and third, they found a classic solution for
their dead inventory.
Engage and interact
The best way to turn any consumer into a
loyal one is to make them part of your brand. On mobile, this has become easier
than ever, and user-generated content (UGC) is the name of the game.
Mobile apps introduce endless, easy and
instant ways for users to participate in brand communities and contribute their
own content. For instance, to promote its “What is Perfect
Conference," TedXPortland
launched a mobile app that overlaid the word
"perfect" over user-generated pictures that were shared on social
media. People immediately became curious about what those pictures meant, which
in turn helped create buzz around the conference. The photos were later
projected on the walls of the event as part of the decor.
Investing in retention on mobile is not
only interesting and creative, it’s also essential. This is your opportunity --
and obligation -- to make sure that when customers go on their way, they take a
piece of your brand with them.
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