This post was originally published on Entrepreneur. 
According to a report, 70% of companies say that retaining an existing customer is cheaper than acquiring a new one. And they were right: acquiring a new customer can cost five times as much, which should hopefully be enough to convince you that customer retention should always be in your interest. So how do you retain customers you might ask? The answer is simple: mobile marketing. Given that 60 percent of the time users spend online is through their mobile devices, establishing a solid mobile presence ensures that your customers are always a part of your brand. within their reach. Here’s how it’s done:
Right place, right time
Mobile devices attract tons of information from users. Some of this information, such as geographic location, can be your brand’s mobile product optimization tool specifically for consumers. Knowing where consumers are allows marketers to provide users with content relevant to the situation they are in. The most obvious way to use this data is to notify existing customers of new deals as soon as they are near your store or corporate branch; However, there are ways to be more creative. KLM Airlines is a great example. The company has created a mobile game that allows users to fly paper jets over a virtual version of the city of Amsterdam. In addition to being beautifully made and a lot of fun, the game also uses mobile data to drive user loyalty. With each purchase of a KLM flight, the user wins more points, but what’s even more exciting is that the user can advance in the game while they are at the airport gate waiting to board their KLM flight ( using geolocation technology).
New content and exclusive offers
To make sure users don’t lose interest in your app, introduce new content as often as possible. Whether it’s interesting music, text, images, or deals, these types of elements will ensure users keep coming back for more. At this point, you might think that by recommending as much content as possible, you are spamming people. Wrong. If someone has downloaded your app, it means they are interested in what you have to offer. The more great content you put out, the happier your users will be. Even content that isn’t necessarily directly related to your product but fits its general concept is fair game. Take a look at the Starbucks app. Apps with a lot of content (such as music) are not necessarily related to the products that Starbucks is famous for selling the most. Users with apps receive this content as an added value and regularly subscribe to it to see what’s new. It’s a great way to ensure that your brand stays in the sights of consumers. Another way to drive user loyalty is to use a mobile app to keep consumers up to date with new products and offers. Being aware of transactions before others is good but not good enough. Instead, offer users deals that are only available through mobile purchases to encourage app users to sign up regularly. A good example is an Israeli hotel chain called Fattal. The company has managed to get not two but three birds with one mobile stone by launching an app for last-minute deals. First, the company used this clever move as a way to reach new customers. Second, Fattal includes special discounts for loyal club members, and third, they’ve found the classic solution to their dead inventory.
Join and interact
The best way to turn any consumer into a loyalist is to make them part of your brand. On mobile, this has never been easier, and user-generated content (UGC) is the name of the game. Mobile apps present endless, easy, and instant ways for users to engage with brand communities and contribute their own content. For instance, to promote “What is Perfect Conference,” TedXPortland launched a mobile app that overlays the word “perfect” over user-generated photos shared on social media. People immediately became curious about the meaning of those photos, which helped create buzz around the conference. The photos were then projected on the event’s walls as part of the decor. Investing in mobile user retention is not only fun and innovative, but it is also essential. This is your opportunity — and your obligation — to ensure that as customers continue their journey, they take a piece of your brand with them.
