Even though generating new leads is important, there are a lot of ways local businesses can take advantage of their current clientele to increase reach and revenue. Keep reading to learn how to retain loyal shoppers and improve your customer marketing!

1. Develop a referral strategy – Today “word of mouth” referrals happen more online than they do in person! That’s why it makes sense to leverage social platforms and interactions to extend a referring customer’s reach. One great tactic is to offer a deal to customers who tag a picture of your products on Instagram. Even a 10% discount can motivate shoppers to post and help you reach hundreds of their friends for free!

2. Build up positive online reviews – Many local businesses feel like they live and die by reviews because they’re so essential to online discoverability. Don’t fret though, the best way to build up positive reviews is just to ask! You can do this in an organic way by messaging customers who frequently engage with you on social media, handing out flyers, or sending thank you emails with a review link. Even though sites like Yelp discourage businesses from soliciting reviews, customers are three times as likely to share a negative experience, so it never hurts to encourage patrons with a positive thoughts to counterbalance!

3. Try advertising with Facebook Custom Audiences – If you’re collecting email addresses from current customers (hopefully you are!) then you can target those shoppers specifically on Facebook with Custom Audiences. Just upload their emails to Facebook Ad Manager and create a campaign to promote exclusive  offers to your most loyal customers. Learn more about using Facebook ads for local businesses in this great article.

How are you maximizing your relationships with current, happy customers? Have you tried something that didn’t work? We’d love to hear from you and learn from your experiences!