You may think that once a customer enters your shop and makes a purchase, your acquisition of that new business is over. But in reality, it’s just beginning. In order to run a thriving business, you need to look long-term—meaning securing loyal customers. That’s going to take a strategy that not only begins to foster the business-customer relationship but also leverages it for positive reviews.
While there are tons of quick marketing tips out there, many could lead your auto business business in the wrong direction. We’re here to debunk the top 4 follow-up marketing tactics, so that you can rest assured knowing your business is on the path to success.
Myth #1: Hit Them On All Sides
This is metaphorical of course. Many believe that once a customer leaves your shop, they should be constantly reminded about your offerings through email, text, social media, and billboards. While promotional content is important, it’s not the goal of the follow-up.The aim should be geared towards building a trusting relationship.
This is as simple as starting with a quick thank you email asking for a customer’s feedback. Receiving online reviews not only helps your business pinpoint its strengths and weaknesses, but can also show customers that you value their input.
And as it turns out, online reviews are important for a number of reasons:
- Almost everyone reads them- 90% of customers will read online reviews before going to a business
- They are trusted- 88% say online reviews have become just as trusted as word-of-mouth recommendations
- They build thought-leadership- They can increase customer trust in your shop, with 72% saying positive reviews make them trust a local business more
While the idea of garnering online reviews seems straightforward, the logistics can prove to be a challenge. That’s where automated marketing companies, like BayIQ, can help you effortlessly achieve your goals. BayIQ’s software solicits reviews from your customers after every service, so that you don’t have to put in tedious hours manually typing out each email yourself. Simplify the process for both your customer and your team with an automated option.
Myth #2: Social Media Isn’t Ideal for Following Up
It’s easy to stick with traditional follow-up forms like a phone call or a thank-you mailer, but social media enables shops to create a direct connection with their customer base and engage with them en masse.
Digital consumers spend more than 2.5 hours on social media daily, which means that taking advantage of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter can strengthen these connections significantly. Here are a couple effective ways your shop can engage on social media:
- Utilize polls- You can do so via Instagram stories or Facebook posts to show customers you value their opinions, as well as obtain instant feedback.
- Carry out one-on-one conversations- Communicating with customers through direct messages (DM’s) is one of the key benefits of using social media as a business. This is especially important to do on Facebook, as automated Facebook DM’s are often impersonal and can tell your audience you didn’t put the time and effort into reaching out.
- Respond immediately- 40% of customers expect businesses to respond within the first hour after they’ve sent a message. As an added bonus, Facebook awards a ‘very responsive’ badge to companies whose reply times clock under 15 minutes, which can show customers you care.
Myth #3: One Touch is Enough
Emailing a customer one time after their service–a one-touch approach–isn’t going to get the job done. The reality is, once potential business becomes actual business, the marketing shouldn’t stop— it just enters a new phase. You’ve earned their business, now it’s about keeping it.
The key is to incentivize repeat business, and this can’t always be done via a one-track marketing effort. This likely means, in order to reach the majority of your customer base, you should rely on multiple methods, such as loyalty rewards programs, SMS text, as well as email.
Just because it’s not as easy as sending out one email, doesn’t mean it has to be difficult. In addition to soliciting online reviews, BayIQ offers a loyalty rewards program as well as text and email marketing so that your customers can develop trust in your business through more than one platform.
Myth #4: Automating Isn’t Personal Enough
It’s true. The more personal, the better. In fact, 71% of customers become frustrated when their shopping experience isn’t personal. But that doesn’t mean you need to send individual emails to every customer. Realistically, it would be nearly impossible to keep up with every individual. That’s why it’s imperative to automate where you can so you have time to engage more personally in other areas.
And that’s exactly what BayIQ will let you do. With BayIQ’s software, you can:
- Send automated thank you emails with a link to reviews
- Create a personalized loyalty rewards program to boost customer retention
- Deliver text and email marketing to share custom promotions and service reminders
- Allow customers to schedule appointments online with a click of a button
Partnering with BayIQ not only streamlines your marketing efforts, it gives you room to be more personal and present in your shop so you can foster and build those long-term relationships.
