The Retention Phase focuses on the following hurdle: the customer could’ve bought this product at numerous other stores, so it’s critical to highlight the added value they unlock by buying from YOUR BRAND.
This is where your blog, videos, experts, content, and social community come into play. In fact, after I bought my mirrorless camera, where did I logically go next? YouTube, of course, to watch videos on how to actually use the product quickly. As mentioned above, you need to position yourself as the go-to resource for those videos, tutorials, and guides.
Think about it. People buy products to achieve goals. Cameras are bought to create amazing content, brown shoes are bought to win the job interview, and running shoes are bought to stay fit and fabulous. The Retention Phase must position you as a partner in those goals.
But it goes beyond mere education. Think about the added value that you can add after every purchase. When I purchased the camera, I unlocked a personal photography concierge for 90 days as a result of my purchase, which gave me real photo expertise from experts without having to search around the internet.
The Retention Phase should invite the customer to join the brand’s social profiles, community chat platforms, or Facebook groups. I’m not only a customer anymore; I’m part of a community of mirrorless content creators! The result is that a customer will want to remain a part of that community and actually feel a loss by abandoning their peers, significantly improving customer retention.
Marketers need to find a brand’s value and accentuate it in the Retention Phase. You don’t have to have a huge amount of value but rather just relevant and differentiated value. The more value, community, and benefits, the less likely the customer is to abandon that value or community. In addition, you’ve positioned the mirrorless camera purchase as less of a product and more like an experience, giving your brand true differentiation.
Put the full power of your brand on display during the Retention Phase. Give your customers a “shock and awe” value experience that can’t be matched by your competitors. Now, as you enter the Expansion Phase, you’ll be in a better position for the upsell. I am going to share about the Expansion phase in my next blog post.