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Newsletter #928: The “Get Them to Come Back” Issue

[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That! newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]

A great first impression can start a ton of word of mouth, but getting your customers to come back time and time again takes a little more. How to do it:

1. When they forget something
2. When they’re on a long haul
3. When they’re looking for a deal
4. Check it out: Graffiti Archaeology

1. When they forget something

When you’re shopping online, it’s easy to get distracted and leave things in your shopping cart without buying them at all. It’s so common the industry has coined the term “shopping cart abandonment.” But there’s something you can do about it. For instance, Steve Madden brings back their customers to their online store with a friendly reminder email that asks, “Did you forget something?” and features the items they left behind.

The lesson: Sometimes a simple reminder is all your fans need to get you back on their minds.

2. When they’re on a long haul

Cracker Barrel is a restaurant for travelers — and they focus on the little details that make them great for this demographic. They put their restaurants on long stretches of highways, they sell neck pillows and travel games in their store, and they offer fast service that gets you back on the road. But to get their customers back in the door, they offer something truly unique for a restaurant: audiobook rentals. That’s a great incentive for people on road trips to stop again on the way back or to pull in at the next Cracker Barrel down the road.

The lesson: Sweat the details that make for a great customer experience — even after they leave your store.

Learn more: Cracker Barrel

3. When they’re looking for a deal

When customers are ordering from you, a lot of them are also searching the web for discount codes. Software provider Squarespace knows their customers are no exception. But instead of letting you search other sites for codes that may or may not work, Squarespace has invested in ranking at the top of the list when you search for “Squarespace discount code.” The link takes you right back to their own site where they give you a better coupon than any random site can offer.

The lesson: If your customers are leaving to look for something better, bring them back by giving them something better than they expected.

Learn more: The Influential Marketing Blog

4. Check it out: Graffiti Archaeology

Dig up some urban history and see the ever-changing landscape of graffiti-covered walls in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco over the span of decades.

Check it out: Graffiti Archaeology

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