‘How do you make them feel?’: simple but effective Retention tactics

Originally sent exclusively to The Letter subscribers on June 17. Want to be the first to get my personal newsletter in your inbox every Monday at 7am? Subscribe for free here.

“They'll forget about the price, but they'll never forget how you made them feel.”

Natalie - my wife - and I have been together for 11 years and married for 1.

This weekend represents a hat-trick for us as we celebrate my birthday, Father's Day, and our anniversary.

If you're wondering what to buy me, I accept anything flat that you can place in a card.

To celebrate, we've whisked ourselves over to Santorini, the place where we got engaged eight years ago and married a year ago. Now, we're celebrating our anniversary one year on. We've got to know the place pretty well. We know the best spots, restaurants, and windy roads to avoid.

Santorini holds a special place in our hearts. (Credit: Unsplash)

We're familiar with the place; it’s special to us.

What I'm not familiar with is buying jewellery for Mrs Sinclair. I've never wanted to get it wrong.

Even her engagement ring was a process of careful joint selection, even though she wasn't present on the day I bought it. Mrs S-to-be sent me pics of what she liked (phew!) so I just had to play "Where's Wally" in the jewellery shop, matching her photos to the ring of choice - in Hatton Garden, of course.

Fast forward to now, while trundling around Santorini, you'll notice some boutique shops - the expensive ones.

You'll be able to buy gold and Rolexes here, my friends, but also a sea sponge nestled between a comedy lighter and a hand-painted plate for the oodles of cruise ships that come here every day, primed with tourists looking for tat to remember their trip.

Glorious Santorini offers something for everyone. (Credit: Unsplash)

These holiday destinations always sell the same shite. But Santorini caters to both audiences, the rich and everyone else.

Today, I was in the rich camp. I wanted to treat my significant other to a keepsake for our anniversary. Everything was lined up - the beautiful setting, the anniversary, and the most beautiful boutique jewellery shop in front of us.

Natalie perused the window, I swept inside, and she followed. You know what happens next - we bought the anniversary necklace and parted with some hard-earned coin...

What can I say? We love each other (bucket, anyone?)

What I witnessed in this tiny shop, so small you might mistakenly think Harry Potter lived here, was breath-taking customer service. But even better was the retention tactics at play…

In what usually is once-in-a-lifetime customer territory (you're not buying jewellery often and certainly not on a bleeding island that you can only get to by plane or boat), they had some usual tricks for retention. But, like any good magician, they had even more tricks up their sleeves.

Here are 7 things that stuck out. Read them all.

POV 1:

"Where are you from? Are you having a nice time?"

Small talk. Basic but still good. 

POV 2:

"Take a seat, Madam and Sir."

Rare, I appreciate it.

POV 3:

Cute dog that comes to say hello.

Very rare, especially rare in a jewellery shop. Weirdly, it really worked. I flipping love dogs.

POV 4:

Ice water in a glass (not a bottle) thrust upon you. "Cool-down drinks", complimentary of course.

We didn't ask, they could see we were hot. I was waiting for a Christmas dinner invite next.

Smart use of reading the customer here, that’s truly playing your “A game” on people reading, the process of offering before they ask, knowing what your customers want, before they ask, is the skill of the very few. 

POV 5:

The family history story, where they studied, where they lived, how they met and fell in love, how long they traded blah blah blah. 

We were in. I nearly sent them a postcard from Santoni to their shop in Santorini because I missed them so much. 

POV 6:

Of course, I could hold and stroke the dog.

POV 7:

This was the fireworks for me. For a 50p investment, you could do the same.

After buying, they said, "Please, can we take a picture of you? So we can add it to our book."

“Pardon?” I said. 

Explanation incoming.

We then got presented with a treasure trove of history books, documenting every purchase in the shop with a "thank you note" from the customer to the seller. You read that right: “the customer to the seller”. We’d paid them.

Funny thing is, I was in. They showed us how often their customers return and how they've grown old with their customers.

This humble jewellery business is a master at customer retention.

Next time we come back to Santorini, we're buying again, in fact I’d go far as to say, people come back just to buy from them. The Santorini government gives this shop a tax break for brining trade to the island.

You see, I want us to have that memory. I want to see our picture in the book, I want us to have another page. I can’t wait to give them more hard earned coin. 

I feel I'm a member of the business. I would feel guilty going anywhere else.

That’s the lesson gang. 

Conclusion

Shoppers to fans in 30 minutes.

From shop window to family friends in no time. How can you do this? Does a photo scrapbook work for your business?

Margin

If you've got margin in your business, there's no excuse not to do this.

Selling cars springs to mind. Imagine if you did this with every customer that bought a car - you'd never forget.

They’d never forget and they’d be back in 4 years time. 

Testimonials

Writing a testimonial on the day that you buy but they keep, makes you automatically think you’ve had a an amazing service, writing it down means you never forget. 

Members

When people feel like a member of something - they’re more invested.

Check Costco out. Check football clubs and golf clubs.

Heck, check out your local Weight Watchers. It’s a smart tactic for retention. 

Full circle now. I started this email with this line…

“They’ll forget about the price, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.” 

Hopefully I have summed up exactly that point. 

Until next week, I’m James and you’ve been wonderful.

Did that make you feel good? 

P.S. Our big two-day event is in September. I think you’ll love it. Get your ticket today.