Growing your nursery is much like growing a garden. It takes know how, dedication and an understanding of people, as well as plants, to make your nursery a business success. You can stock your nursery full of the best plants and all sorts of must-have garden accessories, but if you don’t have a culture of customer loyalty on your side, you might be doomed to a cycle of constantly chasing new clients. This is not only rather counter-productive but it is also going to eat into your time.
Loyal customers are important because unlike the new ones, these are people who have already supported you in the past, have really liked what you have to offer and as a result, they are coming back for more.
Your loyal customers are going to support you regardless of whether you are having a sale and they are also more likely to recommend your nursery to their friends and family. These are the people who will in all likelihood help to keep your business going, and as such, you should never overlook their support.
Customer support will differ from industry to industry and if you keep a database of your clients, something that you should be doing and can easily do if you have a customer loyalty rewards programme, you can simply refer back to the database to see who supports you the most.
Finally, while these are the kinds of customers who might not be making big purchases each time they visit your nursery, those small spending sprees really add up and at the end of the month, the amount they spend is more than likely going to be enough to keep you afloat. And that is exactly why these customers are so important and should be given priority status when it comes to your marketing.
What makes loyal customers different to the rest?
It is not just a matter of consistent support. Loyal customers are quite different from those who occasionally pop in. When you are looking to define customers who are loyal, you can consider these characteristics:
They support you wholeheartedly. This means they aren’t out there looking for other companies who offer something similar.
They are more than likely going to talk about your company with their friends and family.
They are mostly unaffected by the advertising and offers by other companies.
They are responsive to advertising and promotions that you hold.
Should there be an issue, the customer is more than likely to be understanding.
They will continue buying from you so long as your business is open.
The loyal customer is able to help you with your planning, as you can always depend on their support. This in turn also means that you can base your profits on this particular set of customers.
How do you harness the power of customer support?
Naturally, every company should do everything in their power to build customer loyalty and end up with a loyal group. It doesn’t matter how big your nursery is, this support base can transform your company.
If you are building this base for the first time, you should be aware of the fact that the first time customers are going to be far harder to convince because they are inexperienced when it comes what it is that you have to offer them. This means that your biggest task is going to be convincing them to make that first buy. A customer who has supported you at least once in the past will be easier to convert into a loyal client.
You also need to make sure that your customers are happy as a happy customer is going to spend more than someone who is unhappy with either the product or the service that you provide.
To harness the power of the loyalty of customers you should be willing to make a real investment. These are the various ways that you can build a support base.
1. Create a loyalty programme
Everyone loves to be rewarded for spending, but only if such rewards are worth it. Receiving money back, discounts, and free items are all winners. A loyalty programme is easy to set up when you base it on a points system, just give your customer’s points for spending every time they come to your nursery.
2. Get to know your customer
And let your customer know you. Building a personal relationship with your clients is without a doubt the best way to build up a loyal customer support base. Have a conversation with your customers when they visit the nursery and try to get them onto a first name basis. You can also send them personalised emails and wish them a happy birthday, or send them information about new deals or products.
3.Encourage feedback
Getting feedback from your customers not only makes them feel like they are being listened to, but it also helps to make their experience in your nursery become exactly what it is that they need.
Feedback will help you grow your business further while you can also use it for your future planning.
To get feedback, you can have a box with a few papers somewhere in your nursery where you can ask for recommendations, or you could let them add recommendations to your social media posts or via email.
4. Just be the best
It is important to know your customers and it is equally important to know your competition. When you know your competition, you will be able to up your game and improve the work that you do while also improving the selection of stock that you provide. This will allow you to up your game and give your customers something that they have never seen before.
5. Exclusive deals
Exclusive deals will have clients coming back time and again for your products. Giving those customers who are more loyal than others access to exclusive deals is another fantastic way to grow a loyal support base of customers who will continue to provide consistent sales.
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