Creative Ways to Remind Your Customers You’re Still Here for Them

The phrase “out of sight, out of mind” is certainly true in many aspects of life, but it can be detrimental for businesses. After all, if your clients aren’t exposed to your brand, they’re more likely to forget about you. And if a client forgets about you, they’re more likely to go to a competitor the next time they need the product or service you offer. Keeping your brand fresh in the mind of your clients can be a balancing act though: You could reach out to them too often or not often enough. The trick is to get creative and to do it in ways that don’t seem like you’re soliciting their business. Here are some creative ways to remind your customers that you’re still here for them.

Alter Your Business Plan

It’s all too easy for customers and prospects to make assumptions when times change. For example, if restaurants have to reduce their in-person dining capacity or put it on hold altogether, potential diners might assume you’ve closed altogether or that they have no use for your service. And maybe they don’t, for now, but you can change that. Lots of restaurants have found success with takeout and delivery services to supplement in-person dining.

Many restaurants are taking it a step further by offering creative items that get people talking. For example, putting together a special meal kit for holidays, brunches, and happy hours are creative ways to stay profitable and stay at the top of people’s minds. Just make sure to get the word out so people know what you’re offering. If they think it is cool enough, they’ll spread the word to others. Don’t forget to throw in some promotional pens or magnets in their kit as well to not only thank them for their patronage but keep your brand on their minds.

Connect on Social Media

Marketing a business without the use of social media is pretty rare these days. Although many businesses use it, some use it better than others. There are lots of tips and tricks to using social media—too much to mention here. But there are two main tips that all business owners should keep in mind. First, share interesting and relevant content. Second, share it on a regular schedule. Create a plan for how often to post and for what type of content to post. The more engaging it is, the more likely people are to comment on it or share it on their own. And sticking to a schedule ensures not only that you don’t forget to post, but that your prospects and clients don’t forget about you.

Host Periodic Contests

Even if the prize is just a small promotional gift, hosting a contest is a great way to keep your brand on people’s minds. Depending on how you conduct most of your business, you could require customers to come to your place of business, or you could conduct the contest entirely online. For example, you could do the old technique where people leave their business card or contact information in a bowl, and choose one person per week to receive a small gift or a discount on a future visit. Or you could ask people to share a comment on your social media page. For example, if you run a café, you could post a question asking people what their favorite type of muffin is with a comment that you’ll be choosing a random responder to receive a free muffin on a future visit. It won’t cost you much at all, and it lets people know that you’re still open for business.

Reach Out to Past Customers

Sometimes the best way to get an answer to a question is to specifically ask the question. For example, if you want to know whether customers remember you, consider an email to past customers that states, “Hello! We’ve missed you. Did you know that we’re still offering our services? Come back for a 15% discount.” Or send out a survey asking people if there is anything you could do differently to get them back in the door. Sometimes people choose to forget about a company because of a bad experience. Make sure you can make it right and earn their trust again by simply reaching out and asking.

Host an Open House

Give people a good reason to remember you: Host an open house or a client appreciation event where you offer significant discounts or promotional giveaways that they won’t be able to resist. This event can be done in person (where you can wear and offer business face masks or entirely online, where you simply get people to visit your website or interact on social media. Doing so keeps you fresh on their minds while also increasing their likelihood of making a purchase and contributing to the future success of your business.

When it comes to reminding clients that you’re still there for them, no effort is too big or too small. But the most creative ways will likely be the most successful, so feel free to have fun with it and flex those creative muscles to keep your brand on people’s minds.