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Many businesses think that customer loyalty is all about finding the cheapest price for a given product. Fortunately, that’s hardly ever the case. Customers will often prioritize product quality, customer service, and other benefits over low price. And that means your business can increase customer loyalty without sacrificing your bottom line.
In this blog, we’ll explore 10 relatively easy ways you can generate more repeat customers and improve overall satisfaction. For simplicity, we’ll break them into three categories. With that said, let’s get loyal!
One of the biggest contributing factors of customer loyalty has to do with interpersonal relationships. Obviously, if a customer has a bad experience at a store, they’re far less likely to shop there again. Consequently, if you can develop positive relationships with your leads and customers right away, they’ll be more interested in returning to your business. Sometimes, it’s as simple as that.
To that end, here are a few key strategies with regard to relationships that your business can implement—or improve—right away.
How do you turn a relationship from transactional to friendly? Make sure your leads and customers have a positive experience at every touchpoint. Even when they’re experiencing issues, if they’re able to leave with a sense of satisfaction about the situation, they’re more likely to return.
This requires addressing several areas of your staffing process:
With these areas in mind, you’ll build a strong foundation in your staff to start improving customer loyalty. Plus, you’ll have a better team on your side. It’s a win-win.
The first trust-building exercise with your customers will be in customer service. Think of this as getting past starry-eyed first impressions and onto your first conflict as a couple. For example, what happens when they need to return an item? Perhaps the item isn’t even faulty or lacking—they simply need a different one. If they find the return process difficult for whatever reason, they’ll be less likely to risk returning and buying another one… and therefore less likely to shop with you again.
To make sure your customer service experience is as satisfying as possible, consider conducting a mystery shop, also known as a customer experience (CX) evaluation. This will give you an expert, objective reading on how your business is operating from the perspective of your customers. Plus, with a quality CX evaluation from a company like CustomerOptix, you’ll also receive insider intelligence and industry-specific insights on how to improve. It’s always a good investment.
There are many benefits to getting an in-depth understanding of your audience. For instance, you’ve probably already got a good idea of the communities your business taps into. Once you know who those people are, you can start target marketing your offerings and delivering what they like. Marketing demographics study is a powerful way to increase your traction in your community.
Of course, there are many ways to get connected to your customers’ communities. For example, give your patrons a cool nickname—like department store T.J. Maxx did with “Maxxinistas.” Find out what your customers want and like, and capitalize on that image. This will foster a sense of belonging and, in turn, boost customer loyalty.
Nowadays, everyone expects your business to at least make an appearance online. If you’re not the kind of business to have a full digital storefront connected to every social media platform, you probably at least have a landing page with your contact information. And you’ve probably already received at least one Google review.
Obviously, your online footprint is a huge opportunity to engage with your prospects and customers. The social proof provided by their internet searches has a huge impact on whether they investigate your business further. However, you don’t have to churn out viral content every day. Simply engaging with other users can be a big boost. Answer questions, redirect readers to online resources, and thank people for their positive reviews. This can fill out your online portfolio and contribute to customer loyalty.
Sometimes it’s not just about the price of your most popular product. Bonus items, prizes, and simply good quality can be powerful motivators as well. Check out our next three customer loyalty strategies.
Even if the products you’re selling are designed to be relatively inexpensive, consistency goes a long way. Customer loyalty will increase if your business provides dependable support for their needs. On the other hand, inconsistency tends to drive customers crazy. It will lead to a wider range of online reviews, which makes you look less trustworthy.
Of course, giving higher quality for lower prices is great—but it’s a careful balance to strike. If your business has the capacity to do so, make it happen. Just be sure you can do so consistently for best results.
Everyone loves to gamify their life—especially when it comes to shopping. How can your business reward loyalty in a fun way? These rewards don’t have to cost you much cash. Stickers, points, VIP status, and other inexpensive yet flashy prizes have been shown to increase customer loyalty and repeat purchases.
For example, the drive-through coffee chain Dutch Bros offers an app where you can earn points for every purchase, which can then be redeemed for a free drink. Think of it as a virtual stamp card. Not every business model can offer this, but it only takes a little creativity to find something cool for your customers.
If you want to give your customers something to work for, why not try some exclusive benefits? Share early access to content and news about upcoming offerings with those who have already shown dedication to your brand. Offer special deals, sales, and giveaways that are only available to frequent buyers. Create a virtual badge of honor or provide unique options. The sky’s the limit.
Alternatively, another way to promote customer loyalty is to ask them for their input. Holo Taco, a boutique nail polish brand, gets feedback from their top-tier customers to help decide on upcoming shades and collections. Even a small gesture like this can go a long way.
What’s the best way to improve customer loyalty? Be a better business! A company that has great overall operations is always more likely to bring in repeat buyers. Why? Because their experience of the brand is smooth and seamless.
To that end, here are our top strategies for boosting your everyday operations.
How satisfied are your patrons? Do they like your branding? Are they happy with your products? The best resource you have to make improvements is the feedback from your customers—so ask them. Use a customer survey to get the details on what people like (and don’t like) about your business.
However, remember that not every bit of feedback contains constructive criticism. A slew of vague, glowing reviews won’t go very far in helping you improve—besides providing validation and motivation. Nor will a ton of trolls. Evaluate feedback with a grain of salt, and you’ll likely find plenty of new ways to improve.
After you’ve got your great ideas, make strides to improve your business. Even small changes, over time, can generate a good deal of increased customer loyalty. Patrons will see the benefits of doing business with you, and with your improvements, they’ll be inspired to come back and see what else is new. And even if they don’t respond well to your first changes, be adaptable. Your first idea won’t always be your best. Try different versions of new strategies to see what will best optimize your business.
For an objective view from experts with industry knowledge, try a CX evaluation from CustomerOptix. In addition to data about customer satisfaction, you’ll get specific strategy tips to power up your improvements.
If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it’s that not all change is within your power to control. So even when you encounter challenges you can’t do anything about, be honest with your customers about your struggles. They’ll relate with that… and possibly stick through it with you. There’s no need to overshare, but keeping everyone informed about what they need to know can actually foster customer loyalty.
Overall, do your best to be authentic in every aspect of your business. Don’t be cheap or gimmicky with marketing. If you use humor in your branding, don’t recycle old jokes—but do use appropriate levity based on your (and your customers’) experiences. In sum, be genuinely, compassionately human in your business.
In conclusion, increasing customer loyalty doesn’t have to mean lowering prices. By focusing on building strong relationships, delivering exceptional customer service, and creating a sense of community, you can foster a loyal customer base. Additionally, improving your offerings, whether through consistent quality, loyalty programs, or exclusive benefits, can also play a significant role in retaining customers. Finally, refining your overall business operations—by gathering feedback, being adaptable, and maintaining authenticity—will create a positive and memorable experience for your customers.
Ultimately, these strategies will help your business thrive by keeping customers coming back… not just for the products or services you offer, but for the exceptional experience you provide.
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