EP104 14 Strategies for Turning Holiday Buyers into Loyal Customers
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[00:00:00] JOSHUA WARREN: Welcome to Commerce Today, where we explore the strategies, tools, and insights that can drive your e commerce success today. I'm your host, Joshua Warren, CEO of Creatuity. And today we're diving into something a little different, a little more fun. As you can tell 

[00:00:18] JOSHUA WARREN: from my shirt, probably I am in a festive Christmas mood.

[00:00:22] JOSHUA WARREN: This episode is going to go live right before Christmas in 2024. Um, so I wanted to do something a little fun, a little festive calling this week's episode, 14 Festive Strategies for Retaining Customers. So at this point for all of us in e commerce, really the holiday season has come and gone. The orders have been placed and, uh, picked and packed and shipped and hopefully received on time by our customers.

[00:00:45] JOSHUA WARREN: And hopefully all of you have a new surge in your customer base and in your email and marketing lists. But I really want to look at today. How do you turn those one time holiday buyers? A lot of them this year who honestly came in because you had the lowest [00:01:00] How do you turn them into repeat customers?

[00:01:03] JOSHUA WARREN: They're going to drive your long term growth. And as you can tell from the title, I want to focus on 14 specific actionable strategies that you can implement starting in January to build loyalty and boost retention. So I don't have to tell y'all this in my audience, but the holidays are a whirlwind for those of us working in e commerce sales spike, new customers flood in.

[00:01:24] JOSHUA WARREN: You're just so busy making sure that everything's running on time, that orders are getting out the door, meeting deadlines, that it's hard to think strategically sometimes. And honestly, it's not really the best time to try to think strategically. But now that the season is ending, it's time to shift gears.

[00:01:39] JOSHUA WARREN: And the big challenge is many of your holiday shoppers were one time buyers. If they came in for a discount, they're even less likely to return without a clear reason, and you don't want that reason to always just be bigger discounts. Studies show that it actually costs five times more to acquire a new customer than retaining an existing one.

[00:01:58] JOSHUA WARREN: So we've got to help you keep [00:02:00] those holiday buyers engaged. And we're not just talking about making another sale these days. It's about building a relationship and really connecting those people in with the mission of your brand. So when you do it right, we're going to turn these bargain hunters into brand advocates and really drive your revenue, your long term value and your customer retention.

[00:02:20] JOSHUA WARREN: I'm going to start with the first seven strategies. So here we go. Seven actionable strategies you can implement right now. Very first one being personalized. Thank you emails. So after a holiday purchase, follow up with a heartfelt thank you email, reference the specific item they bought, include helpful tips, such as how to use or care for the product, and these personal touches really make customers feel valued and set the tone for future interactions.

[00:02:44] JOSHUA WARREN: Obviously this is going to vary a lot depending on the size of your brand. If you have millions of people that just bought from you or even thousands of people, um, it may be hard to do this at scale manually. That's where personalization platform systems like dot digital can [00:03:00] really help you automate this.

[00:03:01] JOSHUA WARREN: So you're still delivering that personal touch, but you're doing it in a way that you don't have a customer service rep sitting there writing emails out by hand for each of these people. The other thing you could consider is if you do have a smaller set that you do want to add that kind of personal level of touch to look at services like handwritten, it is spelled funny.

[00:03:20] JOSHUA WARREN: So I will put it in the show notes, but. They can actually handwrite cards for you that you mail to those customers. And that can be a great way. You can either do that programmatically through an API. So you can just basically have your e commerce platform integrate in with them and send in the information about what they bought or their segment, some way to tailor that message.

[00:03:42] JOSHUA WARREN: And then the handwritten team have systems that will actually using robotics, handwrite out on a piece of paper and with some ink. What looks like a truly handwritten bespoke note that you can then have mailed for you to that customer. Definitely consider using any segmentation features [00:04:00] in your e commerce platform.

[00:04:01] JOSHUA WARREN: That way you can segment on if there's a particular product line, they bought that sort of thing. One of the thing that really impressed me this season, and luckily my children are too young to watch podcasts and are. Down for a winter nap. So they won't hear this, this little spoiler for their Christmas, but we actually ordered a bike from a pretty well known DTC bike brand.

[00:04:23] JOSHUA WARREN: They sent not only a personalized thank you email, they sent a personalized text and in it, they actually said, Hey, just want to let you know, and this was actually about a week before Christmas. They said, Hey, just want to let you know if you haven't yet. Open up the box. Don't wait to assemble it the night before Christmas, open it now, because here's the deadline by which we could get you replacement parts in time for Christmas.

[00:04:44] JOSHUA WARREN: So think about even those sorts of things as you're crafting and weaving kind of these personalized thank yous and follow ups. Next up, number two, re engagement campaigns. So in January, send a targeted email campaign to your holiday shoppers, highlight new arrivals, complimentary products, [00:05:00] exclusive offers for your highest, your VIP customers from the holiday season, just the basics of re engagement through email marketing here.

[00:05:07] JOSHUA WARREN: Again, tools like dot digital can make this so simple. I would create a special segment for your holiday buyers, especially Buyers that were first time buyers over the holiday season and actually craft an email series that using a platform like dot digital, you drip out to them throughout January and February.

[00:05:24] JOSHUA WARREN: So the very first email, maybe just a simple, thank you, wish them a happy new year, that sort of thing. The second one, maybe introduce some new products, especially if you can segment on the products they previously purchased, suggest things that might compliment those products. And then the third could, if you want to, if especially if they haven't purchased yet, You could go back and do a limited time discount.

[00:05:46] JOSHUA WARREN: Again, this will depend on your brand. If you're say a jewelry brand and you're already thinking about Valentine's day, you could even start leading into your Valentine's day promotions and tie ins. Next up, if you do not already [00:06:00] have a loyalty program, tip number three, create a loyalty program. Now is the perfect time to launch a program like this.

[00:06:06] JOSHUA WARREN: Technically a perfect time, probably over the November, but now it's the second best time to launch a loyalty program. Uh, And really focus on rewarding, repeat purchases, referrals, social media engagement, if you already have a program, send a new year, new rewards type email to your existing loyalty program members, just reminding them of what benefits they can earn in the new year, definitely make sure you're highlighting your loyalty program on your website, in your order confirmation emails, and even in your marketing emails into January.

[00:06:38] JOSHUA WARREN: Next up, number four, social proof and reviews. Follow up with your holiday customers to request a review or a testimonial. Then take those reviews, highlight them on your website and in social media. Highlighting those real customer experiences can really build trust and encourage others to engage with your brand.

[00:06:55] JOSHUA WARREN: And that bike brand that I mentioned earlier, they were amazing with this. As [00:07:00] we were trying to decide what type of bike to purchase, I was really impressed with just the number of video reviews that they had gotten. And some of those were paid influencer deals, but quite a few of them surprisingly were just parents that were so excited about how much their kids liked this bike.

[00:07:14] JOSHUA WARREN: Consider to get that sort of thing, offer a small incentive, a discount entry into a giveaway for those completed reviews, depending on your brand. If you're a big enough brand. Just letting them know that you're going to highlight them on your social channels may also be enough to encourage people to participate.

[00:07:31] JOSHUA WARREN: Strategy number five, offer educational content. So share how to guides, tutorials, creative ways to use the product that they purchased. For example, if you're selling kitchenware and they bought some kitchenware, send them a recipe ebook. This adds value, keeps your brand top of mind. And so many brands still, all they do is just say, here's a discount.

[00:07:48] JOSHUA WARREN: Here's a discount. Here's a discount. Or here's new products. Here's new products. Here's new products. By sending something that adds value to their life without immediately saying, Hey, buy something. You're really building [00:08:00] that relationship and really encouraging them to connect with your brand. I would encourage you to use your blog or your YouTube channel.

[00:08:06] JOSHUA WARREN: If you have one to create content tied to popular purchases, and then in your follow up emails, you can actually link directly to those resources and really emphasize their value strategy. Number six, if you haven't yet launched a subscription option. So if your products lend themselves to repeat use, you're selling.

[00:08:21] JOSHUA WARREN: Consumables, seasonal items, et cetera. Offer a subscription option. Highlight the convenience and the cost savings to really entice customers to subscribe. You can include a subscription option on product pages and then use your email list to promote the uh, focused really on those benefits like auto delivery and exclusive discounts.

[00:08:40] JOSHUA WARREN: And then obviously you would go back to people that. Already bought that product during the holidays and encourage them to subscribe. Strategy number seven is to segment and personalize your communications. Please, I already mentioned one segment you need to create, but please don't just blast everyone with the exact same email.

[00:08:58] JOSHUA WARREN: So definitely create a segment for [00:09:00] people that bought through you from you for the first time in the holiday season. But also consider other segments that make sense and then send personalized recommendations based on their shopping behavior. So again, if you're depending on what you're selling, this will look a little different, but if you, if someone bought a skincare set from you, you might want to suggest complimentary items like masks or serums, and this is where I got to mention AI every episode until y'all really get, get with it and are implementing AI better and more often into your e commerce projects.

[00:09:30] JOSHUA WARREN: I'm going to keep mentioning it when we're talking about personalized communications, especially to segments. AI is so powerful. OpenAI has released even more new models via their API and dropped the price on the existing models. There's never been a better time to leverage AI into your communications with your customers.

[00:09:49] JOSHUA WARREN: So that's the first seven strategies that really focus on immediate post holiday actions that build trust and engagement. And then I want to move on to the last seven, which [00:10:00] really I, these seven I've grouped together because they are designed to sustain loyalty over the longterm. All right. So these next seven strategies that are all about creating longterm relationships with their customers, but a number eight strategy is to create exclusive member perks.

[00:10:15] JOSHUA WARREN: So create a sense of exclusivity by offering, uh, perks to repeat customers. This can be access, early access to sales, free shipping, invite only events. Exclusivity really makes customers feel special and encourages loyalty. You can do this by developing a members only section on your website. I know a lot of Magento and Adobe commerce sites, especially in the Adobe commerce side, we'll use different features of Adobe commerce to create a members only section on the website and really control, maybe even have special products that only those people can see.

[00:10:45] JOSHUA WARREN: However, it doesn't have to be that complicated. I know a lot of brands that just use Facebook groups and they create a Facebook group that is invite only for their top customers or for their repeat customers and promote that wherever you decide to host it, promote it in your email, on social [00:11:00] media, on your website, and definitely use those scarcity tactics like limited time access to boost engagement.

[00:11:05] JOSHUA WARREN: Strategy number nine is surprise discounts. So. We all love unexpected discounts or free gifts. So you could send a, we appreciate you coupon code in February. Surprises like this will build goodwill and make your brand memorable. I would definitely use something like dot digital or your CRM to identify high valued customers or frequent buyers and really use these things strategically, especially if you're offering a discount.

[00:11:30] JOSHUA WARREN: You don't want to create that, uh, situation where people are only buying from you when they get a really big discount code, be careful with this. I think honestly, free gifts sometimes can be better just because it doesn't create that expectation around coupon codes and discounts strategy. Number 10 is to leverage social media, engage with customers on social platforms, obviously respond to comments, but then also look for.

[00:11:53] JOSHUA WARREN: User generated content that features your products on social media and amplify that content. And you can even create [00:12:00] campaigns that encourage further interaction. So for instance, you could launch a new year, new you contest, featuring your products, asking people to show how they're using your products in the new year.

[00:12:11] JOSHUA WARREN: Definitely use a social listening tool to monitor for brand mentions and hashtags that relate to your brand. Make sure you're regularly engaging with posts that tag your brand and incentivize customers to share by offering a discount code for featured content. If you're not a big TikTok, Instagram type brand, even if you're more a LinkedIn kind of brand, I have seen more and more people actually working with influencers and user generated content on LinkedIn.

[00:12:35] JOSHUA WARREN: So you'd be surprised. You actually may be able to build even some B2C traffic via LinkedIn content. Strategy number 11 is to focus on customer service. Exceptional customer service is a cornerstone of retention. Make sure your support team is well staffed, trained, is proactive, responsive, and has been empowered to solve issues quickly.

[00:12:55] JOSHUA WARREN: A positive service experience can really turn a frustrated customer into a [00:13:00] loyal advocate. Make sure you invest in training your support team. Consider adding live chat to your website for immediate assistance. There are so many AI tools for live chat now that it is not as hard to staff for live chat as you might think, and make sure you're following up with customers who have raised an issue to ensure their satisfaction.

[00:13:18] JOSHUA WARREN: So now moving on to strategy number 12, introduce product bundles. So create curated product bundles based on your holiday bestsellers, offer them at a discount and really use that to drive repeat purchases. Highlight the value and convenience these bundles are providing. So basically go in, use your customer purchase data, identify popular combinations and market them as best value sets and feature those very prominently in your email campaigns in the next few months.

[00:13:44] JOSHUA WARREN: Strategy number 13. I know we're all tired of spending money on ads after the holidays, but make sure you're running retargeting ads. Use retargeting ads to remind those holiday buyers of your brand. And again, this is where if you're using a platform that allows you to segment down and find just [00:14:00] the people who are first time buyers during the holidays, those would be a top priority for me for retargeting to get them to come back and make their next purchase.

[00:14:08] JOSHUA WARREN: If you can get them to make that second purchase, it's going to be so much easier to keep them around for the third, fourth, fifth purchase. Make sure you showcase products they viewed, but didn't purchase or highlight complimentary items to the products that they did purchase. These ads will help nudge them back to your site.

[00:14:23] JOSHUA WARREN: Definitely make sure you're looking at retargeting, dynamic retargeting on platforms like Facebook and Google. And consider another sense of urgency with limited time discounts. Strategy number 14, host a virtual event. So last but not least, consider organizing a webinar or live Q& A session related to your products.

[00:14:41] JOSHUA WARREN: Fitness is such a good example of this. A fitness brand could host a New Year wellness kickoff event featuring tips and product demonstrations, and these events will build community and strengthen the connection to your brand. Make sure that you promote this event across email and social channels.

[00:14:56] JOSHUA WARREN: We're also record the session and repurpose it as on demand [00:15:00] content on your website and your YouTube channel, and then turn it into those wonderful short video clips that we all love on pretty much every social platform now. So there you have it. These last seven strategies were all about creating that long term relationship and by implementing them, you can turn your seasonal buyers into year round customers who love and advocate for your brand.

[00:15:21] JOSHUA WARREN: Overall wrapping up really the key takeaway is that retention starts with a great post purchase experience. That personalization and engagement are the keys to building loyalty. And you have to focus on creating value beyond the transaction. Again, don't just look at how deep of a discount can we send them?

[00:15:38] JOSHUA WARREN: Consider things that add value beyond just purchases and discounts. Hope you found these 14 strategies valuable and you'll give them a shot in 2025. As always, my name is Joshua Warren. You can find me on LinkedIn with the Creatuity Gold background behind my headshot. When you go there, you can actually request a free 30 minute e commerce problem solving session with me.

[00:15:59] JOSHUA WARREN: You're struggling with trying to [00:16:00] figure out exactly how to implement one of these 14 strategies. I would encourage you to book a time and let's talk through it. And finally, stay tuned in about a week, we will have our next episode up. And just like how this was a fun festive Christmas episode, next week's going to be going live right before new year.

[00:16:16] JOSHUA WARREN: So we're going to talk all about the new year and what 2025 will bring for e commerce. 

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