three ways to keep me coming back

Top: Bebe // Skinnies: F21 // Necklace: JewelMint // Earrings: Etsy // Watch: MK // Bracelet: c/o LinzGutz // Hair Tie: Jolie (giveaway win) // Handbag: MK // Shoes: MK

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I love getting what I call "happy mail". Happy mail can be anything that comes to me via the good ol' fashioned mail and makes me happy. Being a blogger + the fact that the majority of my shopping is done online + my recent giveaway winning streak (I hope that didn't jinx me) has lead to more mail than usual. I love it! Since the spike in incoming mail, I've noticed a few things. Now let me say first - I don't own a retail business. Nor do I work for a retail business. So I am by no means an expert. However, I am a customer. And I think I have a lot of experience being one of those ;)

Here are a few things that keep me, the customer, coming back:

1. Packaging. It's all in the details! I can't even count how many times I've received a package from a company that had nothing in it but the product. Just thrown in there. No tissue, no wrapping, no note, not even a receipt. The only way to find out where it came from was to look at the return address label - if that was even there. These things matter! A company that sends me a plain tank top with cute packaging and a sweet handwritten note is going to have my attention over a company who sends me a beautiful dress that was thrown into a box all alone. 

2. Interaction. Retweets on Twitter, likes on Instagram, sharing of photos, all of these things make a difference - especially to bloggers. Bloggers want attention! As do most women. If someone shares a photo of themselves wearing your product, or they're singing praises about your company via Facebook or Twitter, why not share it? Why not comment? They are proud of your product which should make you proud too! Not to mention it's free publicity. 

3. Incentive. or bribing.. whatever you want to call it :) Either way, it works! And it can be super easy and simple. Everyone likes free stuff and discounts. Throw in something extra with an order - even something small like a koozie or fun stickers, create a customer loyalty program, host fun contest or attractive sales. I often choose a company that's a little more expensive just because I know I can gain points towards something (hello, Starbucks gold card!). It's all a game and people like to play it.

Now there are definitely a few things that can cancel out some of this - like a big name. Tory Burch could never respond to me on Twitter and send me things in crappy packaging but that probably wouldn't stop me from buying. And then there's the obvious factors like quality and pricing. The things I listed above are especially important for small businesses who are trying to make a name for themselves. Every little thing counts. And of course there's major bonus points if you do all three!

After all of that, I want to go shopping now! What keeps you coming back?

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