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Miami Herald
07-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
8 strategies to keep customers coming back to your business
8 strategies to keep customers coming back to your business Building a loyal customer base is essential for any business. Not only is retaining an existing customer more cost effective than acquiring a new one, but forming authentic connections with your core audience can also provide additional benefits-from valuable data that inspires a new product line to compelling user-generated content from your most enthusiastic buyers. Consumers have a lot of choice when deciding where to spend their money, so how do you ensure your brand is one they keep coming back to? Shopify asked brands this very question. Their answers can help inform your own marketing strategy. 1. Incentivize subscriptions A strong subscription program can provide stable, recurring revenue month after month. The key is motivating new customers to opt in-while continuing to provide value to existing subscribers. It's a model that can be adopted whether you have a product- or service-based business. Sarah Vachon launched direct-to-consumer olive oil brand Citizens of Soil using a subscription framework, but it was when she rebranded the business model to an experience-based club that she really resonated with customers. "We changed the CTA on the site from 'Subscribe for refills' to 'Join the club,'" Vachon says on Shopify Masters. "That small step really transformed not only our sales, but how we thought about our whole business." Every month, subscribers get a different hand-picked (and ethically sourced) oil straight from a small farm. Each box also contains recipe suggestions and other extras, like tasting notes. Claudia Snoh, who cofounded the premium coffee company Kloo, knew early on that subscriptions just made sense. But during the brand's soft launch, she discovered that the price per bottle and shipping fees were deterring customers. So Snoh course-corrected, cutting the price and looking for ways to appeal to subscribers. "We have a $7 bottle discount, which is very unusual for a DTC brand," she says. "And, of course, we got rid of the shipping fee. Instead we upped our minimum quantity to two bottles per order, so we were able to really satisfy our customers' needs by reducing the price and eliminating the shipping fee, but it also actually made us more profitable on the unit economic side." Kloo subscribers also get exclusive gifts, invites to special events, and early access to new products. 2. Carve out a niche It might seem counterintuitive, but trying to appeal to too broad of an audience might cause your sales to fall flat. Consumers connect to authenticity, and brand messaging that tries to appeal to everyone could wind up pleasing no one. Getting hyperspecific and zeroing in on your core demographic can help you fine-tune your offerings-and have a greater impact. This has been a big driver behind Guru's growth. The organic energy drink company steers away from broad marketing campaigns and leans into communities that embody its brand values. Customer data is key here. "We identified that the pre-workout occasion with the running community really resonated with our consumers," says Shingly Lee, Guru's vice president of marketing. Guru took that information and partnered with one of Quebec's largest run clubs to connect with that niche and get authentic feedback on its products. "In the world of marketing, focus makes you bigger, not smaller," Lee says. 3. Reward customer spending More than 80% of consumers surveyed in 2023 by performance marketing agency Merkle said they'd likely purchase from a brand more frequently because of their participation in a loyalty or rewards program. The idea behind these programs is to gamify the shopping experience, allowing customers to bank points they can cash in for real rewards-whether that's exclusive savings or free products. The beverage company Liquid Death doles out rewards to customers who create an account and then buy products, engage with the brand on social media, write a review, or refer a friend. Points can be traded for free brand merch. Skin care brand Jaxon Lane follows a similar structure, offering 100 points for simply creating a rewards account. Customers can swap points for specialty discounts. "Acquisition costs for ad spend to get new customers has just risen exponentially over the last few years," Jen Yu, Jaxon Lane's cofounder, tells Shopify. "So we launched a loyalty program earlier this year. You can accrue points [when you] make purchases and refer friends." 4. Appoint ambassadors A type of influencer marketing, ambassador programs are typically longer-term partnerships rather than one-off ad deals. While the main goal of ambassador programs is to recruit new customers to your brand, they can also be used to reward your most loyal customers with perks like free products, discounts, and event access in exchange for content. And who better to speak on your brand than the people who believe in it most? "We honestly have always pursued influencers and ambassadors that really are fans of our brand. That has always been the strongest thing," says Alex Penfold, cofounder of Jaxon Lane. "Does this person love your brand? Are they with you on the journey? Do they really believe in you?" If not, potential customers will likely sense the inauthenticity and be turned off. Whether your ambassadors are professional content creators, enthusiastic customers, or industry experts, it's always a good idea to create guidelines to ensure they're posting at an agreed-upon frequency and putting out content that's aligned with your brand voice and values. 5. Host unique events Live events, whether they're held virtually or in person, can be a great way to build your community-and strengthen your relationship with your customers. These could include educational events like workshops, tutorials, or panels; insider access to new product launches; or meet-and-greets with industry leaders. You could even take it one step further and host a customer trip. Brands have historically reserved these exclusive getaways for influencers, but many are shifting to a customer-centered approach. In 2024, the hydration brand Waterboy whisked 12 loyal customers off to Cabo, and they have another trip in the works to Tulum. "Our customers are the ones who make our company what it is," says cofounder Mike Xhaxho. "Obviously we work with a lot of creators and influencers and really appreciate their help too, but oftentimes, they are fortunate to go on all these trips and customers usually don't. So how can we give back to customers?" Liquid Death put a different spin on live events, bringing its VIP Liquid Death Country Club experience to the 2023 music festival scene. The tour hit Bonnaroo, Coachella, and other major music events. Members got access to free products, tattoos and "horrorscope" readings. "People love drinking Liquid Death at concerts. We're huge with music venues," says Andy Pearson, Liquid Death's vice president of creative, adding that these events made for a natural brand fit. 6. Ask questions The best way to understand what your customers want is to ask them. That's where customer feedback comes in. When done right, it can unlock a gold mine of customer insights. No one knows this better than Grace Lee Chen, who founded Birdy Grey to connect bridesmaids with affordable dresses. Customer input was a driving force in developing the brand, which relied on everything from social media polls to traditional surveys to product reviews. "We really analyze feedback so that we can serve the customer," says Chen, who adds that Birdy Grey now has an Instagram broadcast channel that allows them to get direct insights from brides. Kloo's founders spent more than a year gathering feedback on products, sourcing, sustainable packaging, production, and logistics before launching. "We asked for lots and lots of feedback from customers," Snoh says. "I would text them, email them, ask to speak to them on the phone." But what matters most is what you actually do with that feedback. Both Snoh and Chen used it to inform their next steps as a business. That may nudge you to adjust your marketing plan or tweak your offerings to better serve your customer base-and give you a leg up over the competition. 7. Add personal touches One simple way to keep customers coming back is to make them feel special. To prevent each sale from feeling like an anonymous transaction, consider adding some personal touches to show your gratitude and welcome them to the brand. Their Jewelry, which specializes in sustainable, unisex accessories, provides a handwritten note with every order. "Those personal touchpoints make you feel seen. They make you feel heard," says cofounder Lauren Ludwig. "I just want everyone to have a really special experience when shopping with us, and I want them to know how much their order and their hard-earned money means to us." Jaxon Lane takes a page from the same book. "We're competing with Amazon, right?" says Yu. "We have free shipping we'll do for our customers that have ordered many times. We throw in surprise gifts for them. We write them handwritten notes. We do everything we can do to help our customers be successful in their skin care journey and just enjoy shopping with us." 8. Expand your product line A limited range of offerings could put a ceiling on your growth. Marc Barros, founder of Moment, doesn't know if his business would be thriving today if he hadn't expanded his product line. The brand first specialized in mobile photography equipment but has since branched out to lenses, accessories, digital courses, and more. This very much reflects the journey of its customers. Many started by filming videos on their phone but are now shooting on a camera or exploring filmmaking. "It's been fascinating seeing the growth of the customer evolution, and we've just grown Moment to keep up with it," says Barros. "Otherwise, if we had stayed with probably the original five or six products, I'm not sure we'd still be here." When Kristen Pumphrey, cofounder of P.F. Candle, noticed a subsection of customers dropping off in favor of more luxury candles, she created a premium line to capture their attention. She also believes in the power of saying yes to opportunities-even if you aren't sure how to do it. She did just that when Urban Outfitters asked P.F. Candle to make incense. "And now incense is such a fast-growing product segment for us," she says. "People are obsessed." The company has also grown to sell reed diffusers, room and linen sprays, candle accessories, and more. This story was produced by Shopify and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘Anything is possible': Portsmouth high schooler qualifies for Boston Marathon
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WPRI) — Portsmouth High School student Chris Vachon will be among the youngest runners racing in the Boston Marathon next week. The 18-year-old qualified for this year's marathon with a race time of approximately two hours and 50 minutes. 'You only get one first time, so I'm going to really make sure I take it all in and enjoy the experience,' Vachon said. Boston Marathon 2025: What you need to know Vachon said there are only a few dozen 18-year-olds racing on Marathon Monday. 'Being one of the few high schoolers to ever do it — it's going to be surreal,' he said. Vachon told 12 News he first started running his freshman year with the boys' cross-country team. He ran his first 10-mile race as a sophomore, and then his first marathon last August. 'I'm just trying to control the nerves and be ready for race day,' he said. SEE ALSO: Woman with rare genetic disorder qualifies for 3rd Boston Marathon Racing runs in Vachon's family. His father, a former sprinter, said he's proud of and amazed by his son's work ethic. 'I always thought he could do it, but I didn't know he could do it at this age,' Stephen Vachon said. 'I was always like, 'you've got to be realistic, you've got to be prepared to not make it.'' 'But he went out and crushed it and made it his first time,' he continued. 'It's not just all talent with him, he will outwork anyone. If everyone else is doing five miles, he'll do six. If the coach says run for two hours, he'll do two hours and that extra minute.' MORE: RI State Police troopers running Boston Marathon for charity Chris Vachon said his teammates and his coaches aren't the only ones motivating him to keep going. 'I had a lot of people, even some friends, who said it wasn't possible,' he said. 'It's been a really cool experience to be able to push through every day, and prove that I am able to do this. Anything is possible if you really put your mind to it.' Chris Vachon said that, once he's out of high school, he plans on running for the Boston Athletic Association. In a few years, he also hopes to run in the Boston Marathon's Pro Field. NEXT: Cranston native running in his first Boston Marathon Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
21-02-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Canada's quiet patriotism is on fire
An old friend, and fellow retired journalist, recently told me about how she just, for the first time, started flying a Canadian flag outside her home — something I did as well. We're not alone: One Canadian flagmaker reported that its sales had doubled. Putting up a flag gave her pause to consider our quiet nation. As she told me, 'We whisper our patriotism and store our passion for Canada within the blood of our veins.' In the past few weeks, the actions and rhetoric of U.S. leaders have set that blood on fire. President Donald Trump's vicious barrage of insults, mockery and outright threats have us fed up. Some Canadians have taken to boycotting American products. Meanwhile, grocery stores are adjusting their orders to pivot away from American products, importing those that aren't available from domestic producers from countries other than the United States and denoting goods that come from Canada as a part of the 'Buy Canadian' movement. During a recent shopping trip, I chose oranges from Spain, and judging by the three overflowing bins filled with various American oranges, other shoppers were making similar decisions. The Canadian government is bracing for the possible imposition of U.S. tariffs by working to ramp up domestic production, develop new trade agreements with other nations and financially support impacted sectors. My potato chips? Miss Vickie's from Kitchener, Ontario. My snack cakes? Jos Louis from the Vachon company in Quebec. Travel plans? WestJet Airlines, Canada's second-largest airline, said demand for travel to the United States had dropped 25 percent over a recent week, given the threat of U.S. tariffs, which haven't even begun. Air Canada also plans to reduce service to the United States. To any Americans who choose to visit Canada in coming months: I cannot promise even grudging politeness. I've been tempted to buy spray paint and cover any American-plated vehicle I see. I won't because I'm Canadian. But if you keep pushing, I can't promise a thing. There's a saying circulating on the internet these days: 'Canadians have two settings: 'I'm sorry.' And 'You'll be sorry.'' Judy Waytiuk, Winnipeg, Manitoba Two impressions of Canada I took a half dozen vacations to Canada with my late wife. One of our first impressions was surprise at the existence of a chain of historic forts, all oriented to stop invasions by the United States. On a subsequent visit, we arrived in Ottawa a few days after 9/11. We visited the American Embassy just to see its architecture, which — to our astonishment — was surrounded by Canadians. Were they protesting? As we got closer, we saw the entire front sidewalk covered with flowers, posters and candles. I recall one sign declared 'America our best friend' and another modified John F. Kennedy's famous statement in Berlin to say 'Ich Bin Ein American.' The embassy's staff had posted a note thanking people for their contributions and stating that there was no more space available. Instead, they could come into the embassy and sign the guest register. Those hardy Canadians just kept on coming. Later we sat in the visitors section of the Canadian Parliament to observe a session dedicated to discussing what Canada could do to help the United States. I remember that the support expressed for our country by the assembled legislators was unanimous. Canada is a magnificent country with its own culture, economy and political system. Its soldiers fought valiantly in both world wars as well as many other conflicts. Its natural environment is magnificent. I dearly hope that Canada will not feel that it has to build a new series of forts to ward off President Donald Trump. Michael S. McGill, Alexandria Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Pride and independence I read Chrystia Freeland's Jan. 20 op-ed, 'America, don't doubt Canada's resolve,' with interest. Two assertions in her essay stood out: 'Canadians are proud and independent,' and, 'If you hit us, we will hit back — and our blows will be precisely targeted.' My experience tells me to believe her assertions. In 2012, I presented at a conference sponsored by the Archives Association of Ontario in Toronto. The conference, titled 'Conflict and Commemoration,' was centered on the bicentennial of the War of 1812. During the war, Canadians endured repeated invasions from the United States, but each invasion ended with an American withdrawal. During one in April 1813, U.S. forces burned parts of York, the capital of Upper Canada (now known as Toronto), destroying the parliament, the government house, other public buildings and private homes. The British army then defeated the American Army in Bladensburg, Maryland, in August 1814 and burned parts of D.C. in revenge. I gained a keen sense of Canadian national identity from this conference. Archivists preserve, organize and make available records that, among other things, help retain national identity. Canada has a strong archival system in part because the Canadian national identity is strong. My grandfather joined the Canadian army during World War I. Tracing his service, I learned from a 2018 article in the National Post that Canadian soldiers had a reputation during a war of unparalleled ferocity as particularly fierce soldiers. The article quoted war correspondent Philip Gibbs, who had written that 'Canadians fought the Germans with a long, enduring, terrible, skillful patience.' An inexact analogy to what Freeland wrote, to be sure. But there are similarities, nonetheless. Freeland, however, also approved of what President Ronald Reagan once said of the U.S.-Canadian relationship: 'We are kin, who together have built the most productive relationship between any two countries in the world.' But things can get especially nasty between kin. Canada is a proud, independent nation. What we give to Canada, we will get in return. Jim Cassedy, Hyattsville Two can play at this game Guns smuggled from the United States fuel violent crime in Canada and Mexico. Here is a modest suggestion to the governments of Canada and Mexico: Announce the immediate suspension of all cooperation with the United States on immigration, crime and drug enforcement until the United States stops the flow of illegal firearms into their countries. Keith Kozloff, Takoma Park Boo-worthy conduct Regarding the Feb. 2 Sports article 'Canadian sports fans are booing the U.S. national anthem after Trump tariffs': As a Canadian who has lived and studied in the United States and maintains valued relationships with many Americans, I was embarrassed and dismayed by the actions of fellow Canadians who booed the American anthem at recent sporting events. While all of us are deeply concerned about the negative effects of President Donald Trump's threat to impose destabilizing tariffs on the Canadian economy, we cannot tolerate the type of disrespectful behaviors exhibited by these so-called patriots. The booing of our closest friends and allies — a nation of people to whom we are highly indebted for military protection and trade — is never an appropriate response to a diplomatic conflict between our two governments. To my fellow Canadians, I would warn you to beware Trump's intended traps of division. The smaller we appear, the greater his victory. At a time when we badly need our friends in the United States (in the same way we like to imagine they still feel some need of us), we should be taking steps to reinforce bridges, not build new barriers. To all Americans, I would part with a familiar Canadianism: I'm sorry. Wilfred M. Hugh Barnett, Toronto Story continues below advertisement Advertisement What Canada gave me You often hear that people don't value what they have until it's gone. In my case, as unlikely as it may be, it's the thought of losing my identity as a Canadian. I was born and raised in Canada, and this country has given me opportunities I would never have gotten had I been born in Pakistan, the birthplace of my parents. Canada has given me easy access to education, the resources to build a career, the freedom to practice my faith as an Ahmadi Muslim and the assurance of free health care. We Canadians tend to not put our patriotism on display as people of other nations do, and this can maybe be attributed to our nonchalant attitude. We're a laid-back bunch and don't always voice our true emotions. We're quick to apologize and tend to move past things. However, when President Donald Trump suggested that we become the 51st state of the United States, it made me feel love, pride, gratitude, disappointment and anger: I love my country; I am proud of being a Canadian; I am grateful for all that this land has given me; I am disappointed in Trump's irresponsible and inflammatory comments; and I am angry that someone has threatened my home and is attempting to strong-arm our government through tariffs. Canada is also going through a turbulent political climate. There is a clear divide among its citizens about the direction we should take going forward and who should be at the helm. Regardless, we should stand united against any and all threats. This country is my country, and I say to my dear nation, 'O Canada, I stand on guard for thee.' Blawal Aleem, Vaughan, Ontario
