Your customers are telling you a lot about how you should communicate with them just by when and how they buy.

When do you reach out to your customers? During special promotions and sales, of course, or maybe around holidays or events in your community. These sorts of moments are easy to predict and schedule. But what about when your customer buys from you– or doesn’t?  

Let’s take a look at three types of customers whose buying moments (or non-buying moments) can kick off compelling, considerate communications.

First-time buyers can give you a fresh perspective

That first time you get someone in the door (whether virtual or physical) is a big deal.

Recognize it as one!

Reaching out to first-time buyers can provide a timely touchpoint and bolster your brand. And it’s a great way for you to see your business through their eyes  —   a fresh, new point of view.

A great way to do this is to ask those shiny new customers for their feedback, thank them for their purchase, and learn from their experience with you. You can also set up an automated welcome series to ensure each new customer is getting the time and attention they deserve.

While your tried-and-true customers know you like the back of their hand (or the inside of their wallet), your first-timers can see things differently  —  both the good (do more of this!) AND the bad (do less of that!). Asking for their opinion shows you’re thinking about when and where to improve and lets your new customers know their experiences are just as important to you as the “regulars.” 

And don’t worry that you’re leaving the regulars out. There are good ways to give them some TLC, too!

Your most loyal customers deserve a hearty THANKS!

Sure, you might know these customers from visits to your location or their repeat orders  —  they’ve gone out of their way to come back more than once  —  but are you going out of your way to give them a little extra attention? 

Creating a segment in your email list based solely on your return customers allows you to reward and encourage customer loyalty. In-person events or exclusive giveaways and offers are a good reason to reach out to your biggest fans, and can be a good way to say “We couldn’t do this without you!”

And while the fresh perspectives of your new buyers are extremely important, don’t forget to ask your regulars why they keep coming back.

Their feedback is also valuable  —  and some of their answers just might surprise you! (I loyally frequented a florist for years because I liked how they treated their “shop cat”!) 

Lapsed customers need love, too!

Tackling customer attrition can be frustrating and daunting  —  we get it! While valuing your new and regular traffic can help to safeguard against attrition throughout the relationship, some shoppers will inevitably drift away.

But you can’t just talk to them like everyone else.

After all, when, you’ve stopped buying from your favorite spot, getting messages that speak to you like you’re a new or recent customer can be annoying.

These customers are like old friends that you haven’t seen for a while. They’re special  —  so treat them that way.

Acknowledge that you haven’t seen them in a while. Show them what they’ve missed while they were gone. Ask them for some honest feedback  —  and incentivize them to provide it. And then, give them a reason to come back!

While you certainly can’t get everyone back in the door, seeing even a few lapsed customers move back into your “loyal” list is a definite plus! 

Creating customer opportunities with Stripe

Having up-to-date, accurate data about your customers’ buying behaviors is the foundation to meeting these customers exactly where they are in their relationship with you.

This is why Constant Contact is excited to team up with financial infrastructure platform Stripe  —  and launch the Constant Contact App in the new Stripe App Marketplace. 

This collaboration between Constant Contact and Stripe allows all Stripe customer events to be captured in Constant Contact and to create contacts from these events.

Plus, Constant Contact uses the data captured by Stripe to create segmented lists based on the biggest types of buyer behavior: 

  • First-time customers
  • Repeat customers
  • Lapsed customers
  • Recent customers

Imagine! Now you can have up-to-date lists of these customers  —  automatically!

Being able to take action with these customers directly —  with the tools you’re already using  — cuts down busywork and eliminates the need for manual list updates, giving you more time to focus on what’s important to your business: building those valuable customer relationships.

You can get started with the Constant Contact app for Stripe today by installing it here. 

Have questions or feedback? Visit the Constant Contact Help & Support page, where you can choose how you’d like to connect with us.