Customer retention is commonly seen as a sales team’s responsibility, but marketing can play a part as well, says Serena Dorf, a Los Angeles-based content writer. Marketing efforts can’t stop after conversion. Post sale, Dorf recommends “penetration marketing,” which she says relies on digging deeper into the existing customer body and optimizing sales to your current customer body.
“While businesses seek stable and consistent services, new offers and better conditions will cause them to pledge their loyalty to you. In most businesses, penetration marketing is also known as account marketing. By using analytics, experience and other tools, you can keep your customers happy with up-selling and cross-selling,” says Dorf.
Marketers, like salespeople, should be alert for possible customer defection. Adding more incentives erases any second thoughts when contemplating defection. “You have to work to prevent, not to soften blows that your strategy has already received. Identify the key variables and make sure to keep them consistent, and you’ll lessen your defection numbers by a thousand fold. For each variable, think of a corresponding prevention program.”
Author
Get our newsletter and digital focus reports
Stay current on learning and development trends, best practices, research, new products and technologies, case studies and much more.
