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Of course all of your customers are important to the success of your business, but your top customers are even more important. Let's call them your VIPs. There are three types of retail VIP customers.
One set of VIPs are customers who buy the most over a given time period. I like to measure spending over an 18-24 month period. This makes it easier to spot customers who are falling down or coming up the list. The number of VIP buyers you track depends on how big your business is. Most retailers track the top 50 to 100 per store.
I like to break the VIP buyers into two groups. The top 10-20 customers are my Top VIPs; the rest of the top 50-100 customers are my Current VIPs.
Another group of VIPs aren't actually big spenders but are still vital to a store's success. These are either loyal advocates who bring in a large number of new customers, or someone in the community we benefit from being associated with. Examples include someone famous, a political mover and shaker, and well-known businesspeople. Call this group your Community VIPs.
Most retailers have identified their Current VIPs but haven't necessarily segmented the Top VIPs or officially identified their Community VIPs. It's important to not simply identify your three different groups of VIPs, but to also to leverage each group.
Do you keep track of when a Current VIP last visited your store? Do you call or send a note or gift to your Top VIPs to invite them in to see the newest products? Are you making sure your Community VIPs are getting special invitations for key events?
Loyalty cuts both ways. The customer who spends a $2,000 a year deserves more of your attention and an even better experience than the one who spends $50 a year. As always, the goal is to WOW every customer, but elevate the WOW and personal service to an even higher level for the VIPs. This also enables us to create incremental visits and sales from our VIPs.
Now that you have identified your VIPs, here's different ways you can WOW them to maximize your relationship.
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Private shopping hours. Offer your VIPs exclusive private shopping hours before the store opens. To increase the value, make the private shopping hours seem to be in limited supply.
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First look events. Invite your VIPs to be the first to see and purchase new products at exclusive events. You'll be amazed at how special this makes your VIPs feel.
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Limited product opportunities. Got a hot product that's limited supply? Don't put it on the floor for sale, call and offer them to a couple of your Top VIPs.
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Breakfast with the designer or expert. Host a VIP breakfast before your next trunk show or event.
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Dinner with the designer or expert. Invite a Top VIP to join you for dinner with the visiting designer or expert.
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Birthday gifts. While recognizing every customer's birthday with a card and gift card is good business, you might consider sending a Top VIPs and select Current and Community VIPs a gift directly to their home. What a nice surprise!
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Surprise and special occasion gifts. There are numerous opportunities to WOW a VIP - if you listen for them. For example, a customer who is shopping for something to wear for her anniversary could be sent a gift certificate to a local restaurant.
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Follow-up thank you calls from the owner or manager. If you miss the chance to thank a VIP when he/she is in the store, why not call and say "thank you" for their business or visit?
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A call or email about a new product you think might interest that customer. This is obviously a key action of clientele-ing. I always like to remind people that clientele-ing isn't keep a customer book....it's using a customer book!
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Thank you card. While you probably want to send all of your customers a thank you card for a substantial purchase, send your Top and Select VIPs a thank you card for being your customer. You can also thank the Community VIPs for supporting your store.
So let me ask, did I miss something that you do to WOW your VIPs? Did you see something new you might try?
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