One of the most common challenges many small business owners experience is when clients become less active. Whether it’s fewer orders or a drop off in communication, we’ve all been there. So, how do you get existing clients to maintain order frequency while continually engaging new customers to prevent them from slipping away? We’ve compiled some of our best tips for you to try!
Although it may seem daunting, using your personal relationship with clients is often the most effective way to engage with them. Here are a couple examples of how to re-engage your clients:
- Check in and ask if they need something from their preferred store. For example, you could text them, “Hey, I’ll be at your favorite store later this week. I wanted to check in and see if you need to place an order.”
- Update them when a previously out of stock item is available again. This might look like, “I am seeing disinfectant wipes in the store again. I was wondering if you were still needing some? If so, I am happy to pick some up for you today!”
- Mail clients holiday or birthday cards to remind them that you are thinking of them outside of just when they order! This is a great opportunity to thank them for supporting you over the last year and keep your business top of mind, for when they do need something.
Do you have a client who ordered and then dropped all communication? If so you can try reengaging by saying something like, “Hi, I wanted to confirm that everything was satisfactory on your last order. If there’s any room for improvement please let me know and I can make adjustments in the future!”.
Sometimes you may have made a mistake and letting them know you’re happy to learn and adjust will encourage them to give you another chance. Or, maybe they were confused on how something worked within the app and starting the conversation gives you the ability to provide clarification by walking them through it.
Utilize social media platforms to promote your business! When you are first getting to know your clients, invite them to follow you.
You can post about upcoming holidays, new items at the store, stores they may not be aware you provide delivery from, recipes, any specials you have going on, etc. Some business owners have even found success in highlighting client’s community engagement or businesses (ie: If your client is also a local entrepreneur, such as a realtor).
Once you’ve built up your following of clients and potential clients, engage them directly. You can do this by hosting a contest on your page, encouraging them to post photos of their grocery orders & tagging you or creating posts that ask them to share their opinions in the comments. For example, “It’s stone fruit season! The stores are stocked with peaches, nectarines, and plums. Comment below with your fave 
