24 Ways to Benefit from Post Purchase Marketing: Part 2

In 24 Ways to Benefit from Post Purchase Marketing: Part 1, we talked about why the post purchase stage is vital for customer retention and increasing loyalty. We focused on the most successful ways to conduct post purchase evaluation, track customer behaviour during this stage, and reduce post purchase dissonance.

These all play an integral role in trying to understand how your customer feels once they’ve committed to your brand, and improving what you are already doing to make the post purchase stage stress-free.

However, there are other ways to enhance the post purchase experience in order to provide value to your customers, encourage them to return to your brand, and earn their loyalty.

In part 2 of the article, we’ll focus on those! Read on to learn more!

Send Post Purchase Emails

Once the customer successfully completes the checkout process, an email sequence, which keeps them posted about what’s going on with their order, should be initiated.

This not only lets the customer know exactly what to expect, but provides an opportunity for businesses to enhance the post purchase experience and delight the client.

13. Thank you Emails

The first email the customer receives has to be the “thank you” email. In it, you can, as the name suggests, thank them for their purchase, and provide step-by-step information about what’s next in the process.

Even if you have the details on your website, highlighting them into a neatly organized thank you message is always nice. This way, when in doubt, the customer will know where to look. They will also have quick-access to a link leading to their order in their profile.

The email should feature the order details, order cancellation policy, dispatch timeframes, delivery dates and conditions, possible delays, additional fees that are to be paid on delivery (if any), your returns and refunds policy, and any other important details that you may want to include.

14. Order Status Updates

You should inform the client about any changes in their order status. People are usually excited about their online purchases and would want to know about any updates, and if you keep them in the dark regarding the status of their purchase, this may taint their positive feeling towards you.

Of course, they could find the details on their order in their profile on your website, but having to constantly check this may become frustrating.

Furthermore, order status updates may help boost the feelings of anticipation and excitement about the product, and that’s a great way to fight post purchase dissonance.

15. Reviews Invitations

As mentioned, reviews are invaluable to businesses. Sending out properly timed invitations to customers to give their feedback will encourage them to do so.

Customers rarely leave reviews unless they are extremely satisfied or very disappointed. However, those in the middle represent the majority of your customers and without a gentle nudge, they may not find the motivation to leave a good word about you or your products.

For better results, make sure that you integrate into your website a reputable third-party review service. People tend to trust these more, as the reviews there are independent, validated, and genuine.

16. Community Invitations

If you have an online community, such as a Facebook group, a forum, or other relevant communication hubs, you should use the post purchase phase to invite customers to join. This may contribute greatly to their experience and reduce anxiety, as there they will be able see what other people say about your brand and products, find answers to their questions, and join discussions.

Furthermore, online communities are a valuable asset to your overall brand experience, as you may use them to provide quick customer support, publish content on relevant topics, and share tutorials. Maintaining such activities also shows your customers that you are dedicated to providing a top-quality service.

Enhance the Post Purchase Experience

The moment when the customer receives, opens, and uses their product for the first time plays a pivotal part in their experience.

Here are a few ways to make this moment special and memorable, and inspire people to talk about your products, recommend your brand to friends, and choose you over competitors.

17. Provide Beautiful Packing

Whether you are selling a digital or tangible product or service, the way you pack it can make all the difference to the customer.

Small details such as colours, style, and texture can lift the customer’s spirits and bring them joy. Furthermore, convenience and usability can also prove beneficial.

For example, if you are an environmentally conscious business and are using recycled packings, you can encourage your customers to upcycle and reuse them as well.

 

18. Add Small Gifts to the Product

Businesses rarely enjoy giving away stuff for free. However, this is one of the best ways to win the customer’s heart, because people, on the other hand, simply love freebies.

Of course, we are not talking about any grand gestures here – just a small addition can go a long way. It can be brand swag, stickers, promotional products provided by your partners, and so on.

Regardless of what the gift is, the point is to make the receiver feel special, pampered, and pleasantly surprised.

 

19. Add a Thank You Note

We’ve already mentioned the thank you email, however, a beautifully printed thank you note in the box can make the customer feel appreciated.

You can add a personal note with a few words about your business, your values, and why every customer matters to you, or you can write a simple thank you on a beautiful background.

What matters is the gesture!

20. Provide Additional Value

Additional value can really enhance the post purchase experience. It can come in the form of educational content, how-to tutorials, ideas on how to benefit the most from using the product, and so on.

These add ons show the customers that you care about more than simply taking their money. In addition, this can help them understand the product better, use it more effectively, and, therefore, allow you to earn their loyalty as return customers.

Create Personalized Post Purchase Campaigns

Personalization in the post purchase stage can strengthen the connection between the customers and the brand and it can inspire loyalty.

21. Provide Discount Codes for Future Purchases

One of the ways to retain customers and to increase the chances of them returning is to provide discount codes for future purchases. This will encourage them to choose the brand again the next time they need a similar product instead of deciding to try out one of your competitors.

In addition, you can consider offering affiliate discounts and providing bonuses when a customer refers you to a friend. To boost the likelihood of the invitation succeeding, make sure that both sides benefit from it.

22. Offer Cross-Selling Suggestions

By analyzing your customer’s purchase history, the pages and products they have visited on your website, and other behavioral data that you have access to, you can provide personalized cross-selling suggestions..

Depending on how many clients you have and what products you sell, there are different ways to approach this. The easiest one is to use AI and machine learning algorithms to pick proper suggestions based on different factors.

However, if your customers are few in numbers and of great value to your business, you can dedicate a team to analyzing their profiles, needs, and preferences so that they can make unique recommendations.

23. Create a Loyalty Program

Loyalty programs are an efficient tool for both B2B and B2C businesses to increase engagement and retain customers. Combined with a gamified experience, they can help you set objectives for your customers, entertain them, and create a feeling of community.

Furthermore, loyalty programs not only strengthen your relationship with the client, but provide you with more opportunities to observe customer behavior, collect data, and derive valuable insights. What’s more, customers who participate in these programs are more likely to partake in surveys and provide feedback.

Based on this data, you can improve the post purchase experience for all your customers, increase customer service satisfaction, and boost your reputation.

24. Replenish Reminders

If your products are something that people need on a regular basis, you can calculate how often they need it, and send them reminders to stock up or refill their orders.

These thoughtful personalized suggestions are a great addition to the post purchase experience and show the customer that you care.

However, make sure that you provide your customers with the option to unsubscribe – while many may find it useful and appreciate the reminders, some people might find them an intrusion of their privacy or quite simply an annoyance.

Bottom Line

The post purchase stage of the buyer journey more often than not remains overlooked and neglected. This is a shame since it holds great potential for companies to earn the customer’s trust, improve their online reputation, and build loyalty.

If you want to make your customers feel special, all you have to do is put in the effort. Rest assured that it won’t go unnoticed and can only improve the bond between your customers and your brand!