Make These 2 Things A Priority If You Want To Increase Customer Retention

Most entrepreneurs think first about finding the right customers and clients. Marketing efforts usually go toward getting your company’s name out, hooking people on your product, and expanding the reach of your business. Yes, every business needs a steady stream of customers and exposure.

But most people forget about customer retention. Every business owner should be focused on keeping their customers coming back. It’s directly tied to your brand’s reputation, and it is the key to sustaining a business long term.

Customer retention relies on two key factors: what you offer your customers, and how they experience your business or brand. 

Offer Your Customers An All-Inclusive Experience

When you hear the phrase “all-inclusive,” do you immediately think of a trip to a spa or a resort? As it turns out, entrepreneurs can learn a lot from the entertainment and travel industry. For example, Grupo Vidanta—a leading tourism and resort developer in Mexico—has customer retention and inclusive experiences down to a science. Their newest park, Vidanta World in Vallarta, Mexico, includes multiple parks in one. Everything is themed, from the entrances to the transportation. They immerse their guests in a holistic experience from the moment they step foot into the park. They have expanded their services to include world-class food and beverage options and on-site entertainment so that visitors never have to leave the site to find what they’re looking for.

When visitors come to VidantaWorld, everything the customer needs is available to them immediately. They don’t have to leave the park for anything. What can entrepreneurs learn from this theme park? Your business model should feel like an all-inclusive experience. 

Your customers should have access to every service that they need within your sphere of work. If you sell a technological product, you should provide your customers with everything they could need: help to install, accessible customer service, ongoing training or tutorials for use, and updates to the system. If your business is service-based, make sure that you provide every service the customer needs from start to finish. Now, this doesn’t mean your company actually has to provide all these services. You can always partner with other reputable companies. The main goal is to make your customer’s life easier.

Maintain Your Brand’s Core Messaging

A good theme makes your brand memorable. Make sure that every time your customer interacts with your brand, they are getting the core message of your company. Clients should understand why they are choosing you, and why you are different from your competitors. Take that theme park example again: no matter the size of the park, you will see consistent messaging throughout the experience. At VidantaWorld, this has been a key part of their development: ensuring that every element of the experience bears the key goals of the brand. The parks are designed with dreaming in mind, and this messaging is the thread that ties them all together.

Train your employees in communication so that brand messaging is clear and consistent across platforms. Put systems into place so that customers understand how to reach you, access your services, get updates from your brand, or find information about your company.

If you are uncertain where to start, build brand messaging from your strengths. Find out your key offerings, and make them the center of your communication internally and externally. Regularly assess your company to ensure that these goals stay in focus. Consistent messaging drives brand notoriety and ultimately will keep customers coming back.

You’ve worked hard to create your company and build a customer base. Don’t forget about serving the customer’s entire journey, from capturing their interest to retaining them year after year. Make sure that you offer your customers an inclusive experience, and a consistent message that keeps them engaged, informed, and well-served by your brand.