growing your business
5 ways you can drive growth from current customers
Have you tried any of these?
Growth. It’s what survival demands.
You’ve certainly heard before that the best way to target growth is to start with your current customers. New customers are awesome. Repeat customers are gold.
I once worked at a global, multinational manufacturing company that made expensive medical equipment. Despite the obvious importance of selling the equipment, the real long-term value was in the service contracts. In that industry, that’s how you sustain repeatable growth. The customer relationship never ends with a sale; it’s the beginning.
So how do you keep finding new ways to reach out to your existing customers and deliver value every time? It’s bad form to waste the time of new potential customers. It’s fatal to waste the time of existing customers.
We need some ideas. Here are five clever strategies to boost growth from your existing customer base.
1. Feature discovery: Unleash the hidden gems
Your current customers might not be aware of all the fantastic features your product offers. It’s like having a treasure chest but forgetting the secret code to unlock it! Here’s how to change that:
Feature tours
Create interactive tours that guide users through lesser-known features. Highlight the value these features bring and make them irresistible. Remember, a well-timed “Eureka!” moment can turn a casual user into a loyal advocate.
Contextual tips
Serve up bite-sized tips within your app. For instance, if you have a powerful search feature, nudge users with a tip like, “Did you know you can search by emoji?”
2. Engage, engage, engage: Aim to delight
Engagement is the heartbeat of customer growth. Keep your users dancing happily with these moves:
Personalized emails
Send tailored emails based on user behavior. Celebrate milestones, offer tips, or share success stories. Remember, a personalized email feels like a warm hug from your product.
In-app surprises
Surprise users with unexpected delights. Maybe a virtual confetti shower when they complete a task or a quirky GIF after a successful login. Make them grin and say, “This app gets me!”
3. Upsell like a smooth talker
Your existing customers are already fans. Now, let’s turn them into superfans who can’t resist upgrading:
Contextual upsells
When users achieve a milestone (like hitting their 50th task), slide in an upgrade offer. “Unlock premium features for just a latte a month!”
Bundle magic
Bundle related features together. “Get the Productivity Power Pack: Task Manager + Pomodoro Timer + Unicorn Mode!”
4. Burn the churn
Churn is like a leaky bucket — plug those holes! Here’s how:
Detractor radar
Be proactive. Peek around every corner. Identify unhappy users before they vanish. Reach out with a friendly message: “Hey there! Noticed you haven’t been around. Anything we can improve?”
Be ready with solutions
Fix issues before users even notice. Imagine being the superhero who prevents a crisis.
5. Referral bonanza: Turn customers into advocates
Your customers are your secret salesforce. Let’s activate them:
Referral programs
Incentivize referrals. “Refer a friend, get a high-five. Refer three friends, get a virtual pizza party!”
Customer stories
Share success stories. “Meet Jane, our superstar user who conquered Everest (and our app)!”
Remember, sustainable growth transcends mere metrics; it involves nurturing a devoted community of enthusiastic advocates. So, apply your strategic magic and witness your customer base flourish!
Sources:
Customer Growth Guide: How to Deliver More Value And Drive Expansion (userpilot.com)
Company Growth Strategy: 7 Key Steps for Business Growth & Expansion (hubspot.com)
