From the looks of it, the virus is still dictating a lot of our activities lately. And though, the number of fully vaccinated Americans is growing by the day and numbering over 50% of the adult population, it seems fears due to the virus are rising once again. However, all the chaos has left America divided. Instead of rallying to what CDC describes as necessary, many parents are now raising their voices against mask requirements in school for their children.
Well the important thing for you is we are at a more manageable place today than last year. Where schools and businesses were shuttered in 2021, many of these institutions are now open to the public. For one, California has declared its restaurants and bars open for business since June this year. And that should be a good sign for you.
Indeed, you could be happy to reopen your brick-and-mortar store or office too. It’s but timely. However, you’d do well to inject a certain realism into your prospects. There’s a huge chasm of difference between reopening a business and getting all your patrons to come running back to your doors. To make that happen, you may have to incentivize things.
The good news is there are ways you can rekindle customer loyalty once again. As your captured market already knows your business all too well, a little push could be what’s needed for them to show up at your front door. Listed below are brilliant ways to rebuild such relationships, so they come hopping to your physical store, and better your bottom line in the process.
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Extend Redemption Windows
If you have a loyalty program, you can just simply extend the redemption period for customers to win rewards. By doing so, you show how understanding you are to your customer’s situation in this hour of great need. To note, many are still struggling to pay rent these days as unemployment is still high. Last May, 2 % of the unemployed have been jobless for more than a year.
Welcoming customers when they’re ready to come trotting back to your store is good. Giving them needed flexibility shows you care. You might even add tokens to the loyalty rewards.
A loyalty gift when they purchase at your physical store can be uplifting. It encourages others to do the same, especially if they see your brand on these tokens. A good way to do that is by giving shirts and caps with your brand on them to returning customers.
Heat transfer printing technology can help you here. The medium is capable of putting stunning designs full of colors on your gift items in a jiffy. Heat transfers for hats, for instance, can go a long way in letting your brand shine from an ever-so-useful wearable.
Give Special Discounts and Offers
What better way to get your customer back than by giving them a discount on their first return buys? In addition, you can offer them special deals to reignite their desire. A buy-one-take-one offer or a large percentage off on their first purchase should be a great come-on.
Take a Better Look at Your Loyalty Program
Sometimes, giving your loyalty program a fresh look can be a great way to jumpstart your business. Well, you may have to take a step back and evaluate things.
Ask yourself if there’s any other way you can expand your current loyalty offering. For instance, why not pair online purchases and offline gifts? Imagine how much interest you generate if your customers can buy online and get loyalty items from your just-opened store. To a large degree, you’re shooting two birds in one stone.
Take Time to Understand the Local Situation
You can be leaving a great opportunity on the table if you don’t factor in the local situation in the community where your store or office is. Be sensitive to the virus situation in the locality.
So, if you’re not legally allowed to reopen and you do, you might invite scorn, and ruin your brand in the process. But putting a welcome sign on your brick-and-mortar store when everyone is already reopening can be a spot-on way to keep the customers coming.
Link Customer Credit Cards to Your Loyalty Program
Make it easier for people to be loyal. It’s but timely. As people move away from good old cash, it’s time you focus your attention on credit cards and online payment options.
Link your customer credit cards to your loyalty programs. You will have to do your due diligence in this regard. Connect with the credit card company. When you link credit cards to your loyalty program, you create a seamless way for dollars to come your way, without a sweat.