The secret to attracting loyal customers
In a world where retail is changing every day and shoppers move freely between the digital and physical domains, small shop owners must get smarter to keep their customers loyal.
Diva Scandinavia owner Linda Savolainen has been running her fashion boutique by the beach in Port Melbourne for ten years.
More than 70% of her customers are locals.
“Many of them have been coming for years and we know them by first name,” she tells SmartCompany.
At her store, Savolainen tries to create a culture of fun, warmth and friendliness so customers enjoy the experience every time they’re in her store. On many occasions, customers just drop in to have a chat and a coffee.
Her secret to loyal customers starts at creating genuine relationships:
Skip fake sales talk
“Pay attention, be honest in your recommendations for clothing – not the fake smile salesperson who just tells your customer that they look great in everything,” she says.
Savolainen learns what styles, brands and colours her customers like.
“We’ll give them a call if something comes in that we know is exactly within what they like.”
Treat your long-term customers
At Diva Scandinavia, Savolainen hosts exclusive nights for their long-term customers.
These VIP guests are treated to champagne, nibbles, massive discounts and other specials.
“They really appreciate that it’s not an open event,” she says.
Give value to social media followers
Savolainen and her team use their Facebook page to share style advice through pictures and video.
She recently posted a phone-filmed video demonstrating ways to wear a scarf, which simultaneously gave followers a glimpse of this season’s new items.
“We have followers of certain labels and they like to be updated on those labels so we’ll invite them to come in when the collection has arrived so they get the first pick out of that,” she says.
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