If you’ve been following along with this series you’ll be very aware that the success (or failure) of an online gallery lies solely in the owner’s ability to drive traffic to
- Drive traffic to it
- Convert that traffic into sales
This next strategy is closely related to one we looked at earlier, Strategy 2 Increase average sale value. This time we’re going to focus on what we can do to…
Strategy 2.5 Increase the number of sales transactions per customer
This strategy is all about marketing. Specifically about keeping in touch with your existing customer base and encouraging them to buy more frequently from you.
At the time of writing 26.7% of my own business is made up from existing clients coming back for more. What’s more, that figure is rising.
Why is this? We’re creatures of habit. We tend to buy from businesses we’ve bought from before. We go back to the same shops, the same cafes, the same websites because they’re familiar. They’re more comfortable than going somewhere else, somewhere new. (Remember what we discussed about supplier loyalty earlier on?)
So let me ask you: when someone buys one of your images, do you get their contact details? If so, do you ever follow up or keep in touch with them?
If the answer to either of these two questions is ‘no’, shame on you, you should be!
We’re not talking about doing the hard sell or continually badgering them to buy something else as that will just alienate them. (How many people on twitter have you unfollowed or muted because all they say is “Buy my stuff” all the while?)
A quick, interesting ping that’s of value to them a couple of times a year is all it takes to help you stand out so the next time they want an picture. It doesn’t have to be salesy either, it could just be as simple as reminder a few months after they’ve bought their canvas to tighten up the stretcher bars or how best to clean the picture without damaging it. Little touches like that will help you stand out. It shows you care about them as a customer making them far more likely to revisit your gallery again next time they’re looking for a picture to hang on the wall.
It’s an easy way to increase the number of transactions a customer makes
Conclusion
People who have bought from you once are more likely to buy from you again, especially if you’ve fulfilled your promises and provided a good buying experience. If you look after them and have the right marketing strategy they’ll come back again and again.
My question to you is how can you encourage existing buyers to come back to your gallery and buy again?
