3XM Rewards and customer loyalty

Hi! We’ve got a nice short post for you guys today.
 
By now you should have seen that we recently launched our brand new loyalty programme, 3XM Rewards.
 
We’re really excited about this new venture. We love our customers so we’re always happy to give them something back!
 
When we started to think about our rewards programme it got us thinking about customer loyalty and customer attention.
 
Just how do you keep customer’s coming back time and time again?

In this post we’ll take a quick look at the different ways you can approach customer retention. We’ll explore the ideas of loyalty programmes and referrals.  
 
So, all of this can be placed in the category of the Post Sales Process. Let’s get started with this. 

The post sales process

So, as I’m sure you can guess, the post sales process starts after the deal is completed (obviously!). Now if you decide that this is where your work finishes we’ve got news for you – you’re missing out on sales! 
 
How you ask?
 
Through referrals of course!
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The business of referrals
In this business, referrals are everything. I’m sure by now you’ve heard some variation of this phrase. Referrals are the strongest way to grow a new, or even an existing business.
 
Social media advertising is an effective way of getting your business out there but it’s simply not as powerful as word of mouth.
 
It’s been suggested that personal referrals are up to 10 times more likely to result in repeat business, this is huge. If a person has a good experience working with you then they’re likely to go and tell some of their friends about it.
 
Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. If a customer has a bad experience they are even more likely to tell friends about it. Simple way to avoid this? Make sure your work is always of the highest order (easy right?).  

But just how are you meant to get all these referrals?
Well, as any photographer will tell you, it’s not easy. Not only does it take time and effort but you also have to push past the awkwardness of it. Asking for a referral is essentially a sales process. See, people don’t like to be sold to. Certainly not in a pushy or aggressive way.
 
How can you get around this? Well there are loads of great ways to chase the all-important referral. 

Loyalty programmes

What about a loyalty programme? People want to know that you care about them, in this modern world, customers want to feel engaged and personally involved with a company. Millennials are a funny bunch, they are much more likely to stick with a  company if they offer a meaningful customer loyalty programme. (For the full lowdown on Millennials, check out our previous post here!).
 
Generation Y have a huge influence over their peers, if they see the good in your business they are likely to recommended you. Creating a loyalty programme can be as simple or as complicated as you like. Simply offering a loyalty or referral discount is the easiest way to go.
 
You’ll see this option utilised in many companies. Think how many times you’ve seen “refer a friend and you’ll both get 10% off your next order”. You can also set up a point scheme or any way you choose. There are plenty of creative ways to garner a referral.
 
Here’s a great and simple example.

My sister recently got married in a hotel in Ireland, and they had a fantastic loyalty programme. A year to the day after they got married, they got an email to say, “Happy Anniversary”. This is a nice simple touch on its own but that wasn’t it. They also included a voucher for a free one night stay and a meal. They of course took them up on the offer, promptly booked a second night and stayed the weekend. The hotel here has just gained a loyal customer.
 
They’ve mentioned it to everyone how happy they were with the whole experience. A simple gesture means they got the fee for the second night and the healthy bar tab I’m sure followed that weekend!
 
So, why not do the same? Shot a wedding? Then get in touch a year later and offer a discounted follow up package to celebrate the anniversary, get creative with it!

Asking for a referral 

Now, I’ve saved this point for last but it is really the most obvious and important one. If you want a referral, then ask for one!
 
If you like, tell your client that you run your business by referrals. If they’re happy they’re sure to give you some names. Get in touch with these people. Mention that they were recommended by a friend and they are far more likely to trust you.
 
You can use all of these ideas or just one, it’s entirely up to you. A loyalty scheme may be the way to go for you or maybe it’s just a simple referral email.
 
Either way they key is to provide them with an experience that means they just can’t stop talking you up!

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So, there you have it. In the competitive business of photography, referrals can make or break you. So make sure you’re on the right track to customer retention.
 
Also, be sure to check out your 3XM account. Your new points are ready and waiting if you haven’t yet redeemed them. 
 
As always, if you’ve got any questions be sure to leave a comment below or in our 3XM Insiders group on Facebook.
 
Thanks for reading!  ​