KEVIN: Rewards Programs- spend your money on in-store programs to reward your customers. You can directly track benefits and how effective your campaigns/efforts are. Create a loyalty/rewards program where, for example, you can give them a $50 reward for every $500 spent. Many POS systems will do this automatically and customers will not have to do anything but be your customer to participate. You can have them fill out an information card so you capture all their info- mailing address, phone, email, etc so you can mail them things and add them to your email list. We started a rewards program and our e-list went from 2,000 subscribers to over 10,000 in just 2 years. We also sent “members” a gift certificate for $15 on their birthday every year to be used in the month of their birthday. You can then track how many get redeemed and how much they spend on their birthday transaction. We had about a 40% return rate and avg sale of $40 on including the $15 GC. Most importantly, our customers LOVED the program and felt it was very personal. We got emails and verbal acknowledgements of the program and how special it was.• Best Customer Tracking Program- again, reward those who are your biggest supporters. Once a quarter, run your best customer report by dollars purchased and take the top 20 or so and send them a handwritten thank you card with a 20-25% off coupon. A customer like that will be flattered and will of course tell all their friends. Word of mouth is some of the best advertising you can “buy”

 

KEVIN: Also, use social media well and use it to promote your awesome in-store programs. Advertising, although many times necessary, is hard to track, expensive and in my opinion not the best use of $ in small stores like ours. It also depends quite a bit on your local, demographics, etc

 

(3) I pay for very little print advertising, I get a bigger bang right now from Social Media and turning your customers into Advocates for your store (word of mouth is the best way to get new customers into your store).. Also, many newspapers are desperate for content, if you are willing to write something for them and they publish it – Boom, free advertising!

 

(4) Do you recommend spending money on boosting social media posts?

good question 

 

(5) I’ve not paid to boost any of my SM posts. Maybe someone else has experience.

 

(6) I have not seen much return on that- most of your FB/Twitter, etc followers already follow you and boosts don’t always seem to reach the right people. Anyone else have experience with boosts?

 

(7) I have heard from others who say FB boosts have a direct effect, still haven’t tried it myself.

 

(8) I’ve had good returns from boosts when they are done to custom audiences that are set up to mirror my email list

 

(9) We tried it and after refining the parameters to our local area it helped some.

 

(10) I usually boost facebook posts for $5 and that gets me about 800 veiws (only to likes and their friends). I feel that there is a increase in sales after those boosts.

 

(11) I guess do some research and talk to others who have done it on how exactly to do it.

 

(12) Also, for those of you who are FTF members or are considering membership, they have a new HUB that would be a great place to really connect with folks on all these questions too. I am sure there are many shops who have really figured out some creative ways to use SM effectively.

 

(13) FB is tricky – when you post something your fans do not automatically see it in their newsfeed. Only the fans who interact w/ you them most. If you want ALL of your FB fans to see it, you have to pay for it. It’s actually FUN to pay $10 to boost a post for a day, watch the “analytics” page and see what happens. There is a huge difference between what FB calls an “organic reach” or non-paid post and a paid post. 
Right now I am trying to gain FB “fans” and paying $15/day for 3 days, set the demographics. My hope is to gain FB fans and try one of those SOLDSIE facebook sales. 
SO my question is: has anyone else tried those facebook sales and what were your thoughts w/ it?

 

(14) We just started a rewards program in the form of punch cards earning a % off after it get filled and that has so far produced the most favourable comments.

 

(15) Customers LOVE to be rewarded 

 

(16) I rewarded my top 5 customers of the first quarter and wrote them a hand written note of thanks w/ a gift card to the store. They were thrilled (and one of them was an employee!!!)

 

(17) on this FTF HUB, that’s a facebook thing or???

 

(18) From a wholesalers experience we have had some good luck with the facebook post “boosts”

 

(19) Nope- FTF launched it at the conference this year and if you are a member you have access. They will likely give you a trial access if you are considering membership but the access alone would likely be worth your annual fee.