Here's the Shit You Need to Know ...
OK so last week I made this bitchin' video for you, to learn the first step to figuring out a revenue-building marketing strategy. It all starts with the understanding that there are four different types of customers you need to develop, not just focusing all of your time and efforts on trying to get new customers. Remember, the big takeaway - new, first-time customers and clients who have never purchased from you are the hardest type to get and the most expensive type. So you're going to use a lot of your efforts and time and money on them.
But remember - returning customers are where it really happens, and you start to create consistent and sustainable revenue. If you need a refresher, go back to last week and check out the quick video where I further explain this brilliant concept.
This week, let's dive further into how we can build opportunities to create these four customer types. If you don't build it, they won't come. Remember always, we have to DATE the people we want to buy from us.
How to Gain New, First-Time Customers
Keep in mind here, that this is one of your toughest challenges. It's going to take some trial and error and work. You need to have the mindset to test, test, test, and keep learning. Once you figure out how to acquire this type of customer affordably and practically, THEN you can start to scale up.
OK here are some ideas - these are not ALL the ideas that exist:
SEO: people who are searching on Google (or whatever their search engine of choice is like my BIL only uses Duck Duck Go 🤣) have an incredibly high level of intent. Meaning, they already know they have a problem and are actively searching for a solution or answer. So mentally they're more ready to buy. (And if you need the most brilliant mind in SEO, go chat with my friend Michelle at STAK Marketing. She produces results with SEO.)
Email/SMS marketing: the people who are on your list trust you enough to share their personal data (which is their email or phone number) with you, they're more likely to buy from you.
Referrals/WOM: this could be from someone who is an affiliate for you sharing about your brand and products/services, or a super loyal customer raving about you to their family and friends (PS: WOM stands for word of mouth).
Serendipitous Purchase: most people are not going to buy something over $50 if they have never heard of you so give them a deal on something. Sell them something expensive and easy to say yes to. Those things could include: sales or the clearance section, trip wires, flash sales, limited-time offers, etc. Sell something to them that is inexpensive FIRST before you try to sell them your $1,000 course.
Paid Ads: I do not suggest using paid advertising until you have organically figured out how to gain this type of customer. If you want to know why, I can tell you more in a future post or video.
How to Gain Returning Customers
These people are our lowest-hanging fruit!!!! So spend some time and effort thinking through these ideas or reach out and let's do a strategy session consult and I'll help you figure this out with you.
Here are some ideas for how to increase your rate of return:
Gold Star Customer Service: give them a 10/10 experience working with you, buying from you, etc. Even if something goes wrong which happens, be transparent, communicative, and responsive. You certainly cannot win every one, but I've seen businesses crumble when their customer service was garbage and customers were having problems with their products.
Sell more or offer more! If you only sell one product - which I see all the time - people often have no reason to come back and buy again from you. You need to sell or offer all kinds of things! What's the next problem your customer has, and can you solve it? Whether this is an additional guide, a complimentary product etc. If you sell shoes - sell insoles, sell laces, sell socks. etc. You get the idea.
Create Scarcity. If you have a product line say of pillows, don't put all 25 pillows on your website and leave them there. Create a core line that is always there (maybe that's 7 styles), and then have a Holiday collection for a limited time, have a Summer collection for a limited time. Change up your core collection yearly etc. Do you see where I'm going with this? Keep them on their toes, keep them interested in coming back to you.
How to Gain Loyal Customers
Ok, let's kick it up a notch. How do we get people to really love us and always choose us to solve their problems or be their trusted advisor?
Some ideas for you to grow your loyalty rate:
Rewards Programs: literally like when you go to the coffee shop drive-through and you get a punch card. But the digital version of this. And make it fun! Gameify it.
Ask for their Feedback: we LOVE to give our opinion and it makes us feel important and special.
Exclusive Offers: just for this type of customer! If you're going to drop a new color, fabric, or style, only offer it to your loyal customers first.
Be Consistent: with your brand, with your products, with your services, etc. There is a reason why say McDonald' has customer loyalty, people know they're going to get what they're going to get whether it's McDonalds in Sacramento or Omaha.
How to Increase Lifetime Value
Remember that lifetime value (or LTV) is how much your client or customer spends with you over some time. For example, if you run a hair salon, what services or products are you offering your customers at every appointment? Do they only get their hair cut 5x a year? Or do they get their hair cut 5x a year, their hair colored 3x a year, and buy products from you 3x a year? You see how that second customer is spending more money with you over the year? This is the dream goal. Increase that value. And you can certainly do this in an authentic - the customer is getting true value -kind of way.
Here are some ideas for increasing LTV:
Subscriptions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enough said 🤣
Referral programs, like refer-a-friend - give us a reason to tell our friends (or brag about you)! And give me something as a thank you! (ooh or even a free gift!)
Give me a reason to collect your products (like Stanleys, people collect those like crazy), or make me feel so special and appreciated.
Here's How You're Going to Implement This for Yourself ...
From the ideas above, what is calling out to you? What lightbulb moments did you have?
Now you need to try and piece it all together from top to bottom.
How are you acquiring new customers?
What are you doing to get those customers to come back to you again?
What are you doing to encourage loyalty?
What's the plan to grow your LTV?
And now THIS is your beginning strategy.
Again if you're struggling, reach out! This shit is my JAM. I'd love to talk you through it and develop a plan.
How I Thrive (and get it all done!)... a Life-Hacking Tip from Me to You🫶🏻
You guys, I freaking figured something out to manage the holidays. I MADE A SPREADSHEET SCHEDULE!
Here is the background. My brother and his family are coming into town for the week of Christmas and it's too much for my mom to manage everything all on her own. It's always all been in her head (totally how it is for moms right?). And when we all get together for the holidays it's a LOT. All of the meals, cooking, cleaning up, what activities we are doing, when everyone is arriving, what is the timeline etc etc etc. You guys know exactly what I'm talking about.
So to help my mom and my family time run smoothly I decided I'm going to treat the week of Christmas like I would for my business and build out a process!!! I've learned over the years - especially with running my previous ad agency - that anytime anything feels a little bit overwhelming or too clunky it needs a process built out.
I used trusty Google Docs, and built out a little template (because if this works for this year I'm going to just re-use it every year) with the following:
Timeline: who is arriving when, who needs to leave when, etc (I get flustered when my brother texts to ask when we are coming to Grandma and Grandpa's but I'm just trying to finish getting ready and get my family out the door, so now he'll just know in advance!)
Activities: what are we doing and when (ie: sledding, skiing etc). No more questions of, should we go do this? We are, we have a plan!
Dinners: what are we having, who is making it, AND most importantly who is cleaning it up!! Because it shouldn't just be the moms in the kitchen cleaning it up.
Grocery Lists: On top of this spreadsheet I've made a list (in my notes app of course) because it's easier for me to go to Costco ahead of time than for my mom to take care of it. I've made assignments for what I need to get, what my brother needs to get at the liquor store, and so on.
Here is a little screenshot of where I'm at with it (and I've blocked out my family's names for their own privacy).
I have shared it with everyone in my family and got their buy-in and everyone is stoked about it. Stay tuned, I'm going to print out our schedule, post it all over my parents' house, and email it to everyone. 🤣 I'm pretty thrilled (and everyone else in my family seems to be as well). But mostly my mom is so happy to have this all off of her plate and just enjoy her grandkids.
What does your family do to manage the chaos of the holidays? Have you ever built a process to make it run smoother? Tell me what you do. I'll keep you posted on how the outcome goes.
Badass Women, Doing Awesome Things
This past Tuesday I had a rad experience. Last week I also told you about my friend Anna Bee who had this Facebook group I'm loving: Creative Mama Community with Anna Bee. Monthly she hosts a connections call. I'm in a few different community-building groups and organizations that I try to participate in, but this was different because - it was ALL MOMS DOING MENIAL TASKS AND TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS. As in, one mom/business owner was folding laundry!!!!!!! Brilliant. I love efficiency. I love "killing two birds with one stone" (don't love that phrase but you know what I mean). I love some girlfriend time, I love some mom time, I love some business chat time - AND a chore combo?! Brilliant. I had to share.
If this sounds like your jam, come on over. Fold your laundry, do your dishes, nurse your baby - and chat with some like-minded brilliant women. Thanks to Anna for creating this badass community.
Ok, my loves. I'll see you next week. Hugs and kisses.
💖 Jess
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