One of the most expensive line item costs for virtually any business is per customer acquisition. And, most business leaders understand that it is much less expensive to up-sell/retain a current customer than to attract a new one. Digital marketing techniques offer a number of B2B benefits, including enhanced customer retention.

Use digital marketing techniques in the following fashions to enhance your business’s customer retention rates:

• Provide Ongoing Customer Support– Taking customer service efforts to the digital environment can provide significant cost savings to your organization. Items frequently requested such as owner’s manuals, troubleshooting guides and other information documents should be available to customers online. In addition, company websites should offer a FAQs page that provides answers to the most commonly asked customer questions.
• Encourage Repeat Ordering– Consider sending emails to previous customers asking them if they would like to place a re-order. When possible, include a link to the product/service page and suggest quantities, making the entire order process easier for your end-customer. Set up reminders within your CRM system to reach out to customers, and/or utilize automatic email systems that will launch based upon pre-established dates that you have selected.
• Announce New Product and Service Launches– Make your current customer base the first to know about upcoming product and service launches via digital email. This is particularly important to customers when something new will add value or will work in a complimentary fashion. Offer promotional discounts for those first to order and be sure to announce via social media platforms as well as in the form of an email.
• Enhance the Customer Relationship– Maintaining a customer relationship is critical to ongoing retention. First, your website needs to be welcoming to new and current customers, offering easy to use navigation tools and full of relevant information. For current customers, consider offering a log-in interface where their order history, profile information and specific notes can be kept securely. Within this customer only interface should also be news about upcoming product and service launches, promotional discount offers and current savings opportunities, and links for any applicable service needs. Your company blog should cater to your existing customer base, offering information targeted specifically to current topics of interest. In addition, consider offering web videos for current customers. For example, you could launch a regular “Message from the President” where information about your organization as well as your industry is passed along.

Each of these ways demonstrates a method of keeping in better contact with your existing customer base, ultimately leading to enhanced customer retention and additional repeat sales opportunities.