Some people have described the internet as the world’s biggest shopping mall. And it’s getting bigger every second. (It’s especially great if you’re shopping for a cat video).

As a consequence, sellers are forced to work in an increasingly competitive market – where price is no longer a big differentiator. Everybody is either selling things cheap or going out of business.

So how do you make money when everything in the world is just a click away?

The simple answer is re-engage the customers you already have as you continue to grow your client base.

Easier said than done, you say?

Not really. A lot of effort goes into the front-end of the sales funnel. We test and refine and get everything just right so that our customers ultimately hit the submit button.

But then what? You’d be surprised by the lack of engagement that occurs once a sale is complete. For most online retailers the extent of after-sales care involves a couple of autoresponders and maybe an upsell pitch. But not much else.

But repeat business is the best business. If someone likes your store, your products and your brand enough to buy from you once, there is a very good chance that they will buy from you again. And fundraisers can apply the same logic. Once a donor has supported your organization, your engagement with them will often spell the difference between a one-time gift and many repeat gifts.

But the onus is on you to make it happen.

Here are three ways you can engage your customers and drive repeat business.

1. Mail them something

“But I don’t mail things! Nobody mails things!”. Exactly my point. Nobody expects a physical postcard to appear in their mailbox three days after they buy an online product. So imagine the surprise (and delight) when your thank-you card arrives with a bonus offer! Physical mail has more perceived value than an email. And it doesn’t get blocked by spam filters or ad blockers.

2. Reminders

When somebody purchases something from your online store, you get a lot of information. If they are buying a product that has a lifecycle of about a year, make sure you have a campaign ready to suggest a replacement when the time is right. Combine this with a custom offer or discount code for maximum effect.

3. Surprise them with what they want

If the reminders and mail get them to the site again, the next hurdle is the abandoned shopping cart. At the recent Dx3 event in Toronto we launched a new service called RevenueDriver^TM that addresses this exact problem. When a returning customer gets to your checkout page and suddenly drops out of the sale, we generate an automated piece of direct mail that is completely customized to the purchase and browsing history of the client. Of course it includes a special offer if they come back to complete the sale.

A few days later they’re reading it in their home and re-engaging online. Digital results delivered by mail.

If they were interested enough to get as far as the submit or donate button, this may be just enough to make them push it.

To learn more about RevenueDriver^TM and take advantage of the special free trial offer click here.