A lot of e-mail marketing strategy is focused on sales and nurturing leads and prospects with the ultimate goal being to convert them to customers. While this is a huge advantage that e-mail marketing gives to small business, you also don’t want to forget to nurture your customers.

Just because they bought from you once, doesn’t mean that they will always be around, so remind them why they chose your business. Keeping in touch with your customers and following up is extremely underrated. When a business makes an effort to ensure that the consumer is having the best possible experience, the customer will take note.

Here are some ways to utilize your email marketing campaigns to retain your current customers:

1. Appointment or Renewal Reminders

If you have a business where the customer needs regular appointments or has scheduled renewal dates, using an automated e-mail campaign can help you to keep track of the dates and send a friendly, personalized automatic e-mail to remind the client as well.

2. Rewards or Referral Programs

Rewards programs are a great way to interact with a customer. Give them rewards points for how engaged they are or give them points or a discount for referring new clients. However it works out, giving back to your customers is a great way to keep them around.

3. Holiday and Birthday Emails

Some email marketing systems can send e-mails or campaigns based around a specific date. This is a great way to help remember all of your client’s birthdays (without actually having to remember). Sending a Happy Holidays or Happy Birthday email has a great, personal touch to it.

4. Thank You Email or reward

When someone first becomes a client, you should always thank them. They did not have to do business with you, but chose your company. Send them an email thanking them for their business. If it makes sense, give them a customer discount on another service, product or upgrade as well. This will not only show them your appreciation but is also a chance to up sell.

5. Surveys and Feedback

Most people don’t love filling out surveys. Make sure your customers know that you want to know how their experience has been, so that you can keep improving. If the survey is lengthy at all, send a gift card code for filling it out. Even something small will help to entice them to fill it out and give them something out of the experience.

E-mail marketing is a great way to stay in touch and reward your customers. By doing this, your customers will give you feedback which ensures that you do your best and get them to stay customers.