One of the most significant operational hurdles you’ll come across isn’t attracting customers but cementing loyalty to ensure they keep coming back. Acquiring a new customer can cost more than retaining an old one, so there’s value in getting people to stay with your business for the long term. Customer loyalty is the lifeblood of any successful company as it provides repeat business over an extended period. And it’s important to go about it the right way; otherwise, you’ll feel stale and stuck. Here are a few strategic actions to help you foster customer loyalty and promote brand advocacy.
Select The Right Communication Channels
When you communicate effectively with your customers, you build trust, create positive experiences, and, above all, increase retention, so think beyond your product/service and its price. Keeping in touch with people can make or break their decision to return, so make customer care the core aspect of all your communications. If you go with a channel your customers don’t use, they won’t get the message, which will only result in frustration. If your customer base encompasses young adults (18-30s), you should reach out via social media channels with news about new products, sales, promotions, and so on. Nearly half of the world’s population uses Facebook’s direct messaging app.
Offer Thank You Gifts to Show Your Appreciation
Gifts illustrate appreciation and gratitude, making customers feel like an essential part of your business. Your competitors might attempt to win people over using generic “Thank you” emails. If you want to go the extra mile, strengthen your business relationships by sending customers strategically-timed gifts. Printed t shirts, for instance, are especially effective – their versatility ensures they’re worn on a regular basis, while customisation options add a personal touch. You can leave a lasting impression that nurtures a positive corporate reputation and fosters healthy relationships. Long story short, you must give a practical gift to ensure the recipient will use it quickly.
Celebrate significant events, such as a birthday, brand anniversary, or major life event. The items your company gives can be branded with a logo or other identifying information; they can range from personalised lighters to electronics. Consider the recipient’s likes and interests when choosing what to give them, and ensure the gift isn’t too personal. Jewellery, for instance, is out of the question. It’s best to stick with things that are okay for everyone, such as pens or fancy food baskets. Before sending out gifts, double-check your choice; in other words, ask yourself if it’s appropriate and sends the right message.
Team Up with A Business Your Customers Love
A strategic partnership can drive growth and customer loyalty by expanding your product/service offering, so find brands in your market that your customer base enjoys purchasing from. Leverage each other’s strengths, resources, and expertise to solidify your positions as leaders in the market. GoPro and Red Bull is an example of a successful co-branding partnership. Both convey a sense of adventure and are spontaneous, which makes them a perfect pairing. GoPro gives athletes and adventurers much-needed resources to capture events on video, while Red Bull runs and sponsors these events.
Onboard Employees Who Prioritise Customer Loyalty
Employees build trust, confidence, and loyalty among customers, meaning they’re the extension of you and your business. Every member of the team has the chance to contribute to creating an amazing customer experience (or fail to deliver on your brand promise). With the influx of technology, people are connected to brands more than ever, but the original loyalty builder is still the employee. Invest in hiring for a cultural fit to find workers that can improve customer retention and acquisition. The idea is to recruit individuals whose value systems, beliefs, and everyday behaviours align well with the organization to keep the culture intact.
Make hiring decisions to create a homogenous, familiar culture. Employees are frontline representatives, the first point of contact for customers, that is, so it’s best to hire individuals with excellent communication and listening skills. Find people who care about your customers as much as you do. What is more, ensure everyone in the organisation, beyond customer-facing teams, have a good understanding of who the customers are and what matters to them. Your messages and policies must be consistent. With a positive company culture, team members will feel empowered to put the customer first.
Ask For Feedback on Your Product or Service
Feedback and satisfaction are two indicators of customer loyalty. The latter makes reference to the information provided by customers about their experience with a product or service, while the former indicates the degree to which customers feel their needs and wants are met by your company. Provided it’s collected and implemented properly, feedback provides extremely valuable insights for your business, enabling you to enhance satisfaction. It’s therefore a good practice to have a way for individuals to leave feedback anytime they like. In this respect, you can implement a feedback button on every page of your website.
You could send an email requesting feedback – redirect customers to a form on your website or another data collection tool. No one has the time to read lengthy messages, so make it easier for people to understand what it is you want. Most importantly, use a call-to-action to encourage the recipient to respond to your request. A phone call is more important in the digital age as it allows for follow-up questions and clarifications in real time. Take advantage of this personal connection to ask specific questions concerning a product/service; it eliminates the need for multiple interactions.
Conclusion
Building customer loyalty matters because it prompts repeat sales, makes your business more competitive, and enhances word-of-mouth marketing. If you give it your best, you can overcome common obstacles and win the hearts of your customers. It’s easy to get caught up in the storytelling and passion of the brand, but it’s convenience and consistency that attract loyalty over time. Demonstrate you’ll fulfil your promise to keep consumers coming back for more.
