Attracting new customers and increasing client retention

Planning for new customer development and retaining existing customers go hand in hand, and so in most cases, it is sensible to integrate the two to produce the best results for your business.

Attracting and acquiring new customers is a challenging task so it is essential that you have a marketing plan specific to you. When you have a good customer base of existing customers and newly acquired customers, it is important to hold onto them. It costs more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing, so a client retention strategy is vitally important.

We work closely with our clients to develop effective strategic plans for new customer development and client retention by following the approach below:

Sussex marketing agency, Smart Monkey can help you create such a plan for your business by following the approach below:

• Targets and Metrics:

  In order to develop strategic marketing plans for new customer attraction and acquisition and client retention, we need to dig deep into the core of your business. Firstly, we need to understand the business goals and objectives you want to achieve in the short, medium and longer term, as well as current business performance so that we can plot a 'path' from where we are, to where we want to get to. Previous performance, levels of repeat business achieved and an outline of the levels of repeat business you would like to achieve help to form measurable objectives for client retention.

  

• Understand your Target Audience:

  Do you know exactly who your target audience is? Do you know exactly what they want? Do you know who, how and where your existing customers are? Your marketing investment can be completely wasted if you don't create a strategy with your customers at the heart of your marketing plan. We help you to identify all of the specific groups within your target audience and develop solutions that will fulfil their needs, as well as identifying your customer base audiences, the reasons why they buy and what will encourage them to keep buying... from you!

  

• Understand your Competitors:

  Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer! Knowing exactly who your competitors are and their strengths and weaknesses, will allow you to identify the areas of opportunity, as well as where to build counter and potential threats. Ensuring you have a clear understanding of the competitive landscape is absolutely essential for new business. For client retention, there is very little loyalty these days and so it is essential that you take significant steps to encourage it.

  

• Creating the Smart Monkey Marketing Plan:

  We now know where you want to take your business; who your customers are and what they want and your competition. We now have the information required in order to create an effective plan to attract and acquire the right quality of customer in the desired amount, and to create a retention plan to ensure your clients keep coming back and spread positive vibes about your company. Our plan will outline the activities required in order to achieve your goals and will include the right blend of disciplines outlined below.

  

• P is for Perfection

  In order to enhance your new customer generation and client retention success, it is important for us to look at your business as a whole, rather than just focusing on the Promotion side. We take into account all of the areas below and provide relevant advice that will contribute to the overall success of the marketing and retention plan:

  

  • Product
  • Price
  • Place (Distribution)
  • Promotion

  • People
  • Physical Evidence
  • Processes

• Implementation of the Plan:

  So now you have a marketing and client retention plan, you need to implement it. We can help you do this and work with you as part of your team, all striving to achieve the same business objectives. We operate in a proactive manner and bring expertise that so many organisations don't have in-house.

  

• Return on Investment:

  All marketing and retention campaigns and associated investment can be measured for their performance. By doing so, we can ascertain the value of each and finetune all marketing activities so they provide the best return possible.

  

• Performance Based Commercials:

  Once the plan has been created, we recommend working with you on a performance related scheme. This ensures perfect focus from everyone and when targets are achieved or exceeded, everybody wins.

  

Our Tactical Support Services

• Branding and Corporate Identity:

  To reflect your organisation's personality and provide a strong identity that your customers will associate with.

• Value Proposition:

  Ensure you have a solid and compelling message that will attract and provide value to your target audience, and to encourage repeat business with solid loyalty and incentive schemes to help achieve this.

• Interaction... Give your Customers the Power!

  Provide easy means for your customers to interact with you and your business, allowing them to have a say and providing you with invaluable information.

• Graphic Design:

  Visually portray your brand and messaging in a manner that will capture the imagination of your customers.

• Copywriting:

  Alongside great design, the right words will help to capture your customer's attention, spark interest, create desire and most importantly, encourage repeat action.

• Website Design and Management:

  Create an engaging website design providing your clients and future clients with a high quality user experience.

• Search Engine Optimisation:

  Ensuring your website can be found easily on the search engines using a mix of organic / natural search engine optimisation and paid for search engine techniques. If you can't be found quickly, new and existing customers may be tempted to go elsewhere.

• Email Marketing:

  Award winning email design and content to attract your target customers and ensure you maintain a regular dialogue with your clients.

• Viral Campaigns:

  Provide innovative materials which your customers and prospects can share amongst themselves and create significant awareness of your brand.

• Public Relations:

  Generating a buzz about your company and ensuring a positive image.

• Advertising:

  A mix of online and offline advertising designed to reach and attract new customers and keep you in the minds of your existing customers.

• Events and Exhibitions:

  From inception through to organising and de-briefing on events that bring your audience together in a forum which suits them.

• Direct Mail:

  An effective route to reach profitable customers, generate awareness and interest in your products and services and prompt positive actions such as enquiries, store and website visits, recommendations to friends and family and cross selling through sampling of your product or service.