6 Ways to Build Customer Loyalty

Building customer loyalty is an important part of every business. But this can be a difficult task. Some businesses feel like they need to be perfect to build a loyal customer base. This isn’t the case. With a few strategic ways to build customer loyalty, you can strengthen relationships with your customers and build value at the same time.

6 Ways to Build Customer Loyalty

Why is it important to build customer loyalty? Loyal customers spend somewhere between 31% and 67% more than new customers, and they’re 50% more likely to try new products. Since you don’t have to advertise to find and win over these customers, keeping your customers can be anywhere between five to 25 times less expensive, too. Businesses with loyal customer bases also benefit from a positive image and free marketing when happy customers make recommendations to friends and family.

Between the additional income, lower costs, and good PR, building customer loyalty just makes sense. Still, finding ways to build customer loyalty can be difficult. Let’s take a look at a few strategies you might want to try.

1. Share Good Reviews and Testimonials

When you show that you provide an exceptional customer experience, other customers are more likely to believe it. When you solve a problem for your customers, follow up with them to get a review or a testimonial. Or, when a customer leaves you a glowing review, ask if they’ll talk with you and provide a video testimonial. Then, you can collect a library of positive feedback.

You can use this feedback in a variety of ways, but it can be a helpful way to build customer loyalty. You might share customer stories in an email, highlight these stories in a blog post, or repost a customer’s social media post. When customers see that you solve problems and provide a high-quality experience, they’ll have more confidence in your business and be more willing to continue their relationship with you.

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2. Provide Loyalty Points

Customers can easily switch to a competitor, unless you give them a reason to stay and make another purchase with you. One way to do this is to provide a better experience or a better price. But this isn’t always enough. Another strategy to build customer loyalty is to reward your customers when they make purchases. Providing loyalty points is one way to encourage customers to make a repeat purchase.

For example, a customer might go to many different places for specialty soap or skin care products. However, if you allow them accumulate rewards points as they make purchases, and cash these rewards points in for free items, customers will be much more likely to visit your shop instead.

3. Personalized Rewards

While loyalty points can usually be cashed in for any products or services, personalized rewards can help you make even more connections with your customers. Personalized rewards like this might include any of the following:

Discounts on products a customer has purchased before
Free gifts or special discounts on the customer’s birthday
First access to products or services similar to those the customer purchased before

Consider what personalized rewards you might enjoy from a company that you often visit. Or, ask your friends or colleagues, or even ask your loyal customers, what type of rewards might be meaningful to them.

4. Provide Utility

When a customer’s experience with your company helps them complete a task, save time, or gain something extra, they’re more likely to visit or purchase again. Consider how you might provide your customers with some extra utility.

One way that companies build customer loyalty it to remind customers when it’s time to schedule another appointment. This means there’s one less thing a customer has to remember. A shop might provide similar utility by reminding a customer when it’s time to replace a part or a product that’s about to wear out. Or, you might provide a repair or tune-up service. Consider the additional issues, questions, or curiosities a customer might have related to your products or services, and how you might solve them.

5. Connect on Multiple Points

Another way to build customer loyalty is to connect with your customers on multiple platforms or in multiple ways. For example, if a customer buys your products and also uses your app, they’re less likely to switch to another business. Or, if a customer regularly reads your blog, newsletters, or interacts with your social media account, they’re less likely to simply forget about your business or brand.

6. Subscription Services

If customers regularly need or want your products or services, a subscription service can help them save time and build a strong connection with your business. A subscription service can look different for many different businesses. This might include a regular mail subscription service for consumable products like food, skincare, soap, wine, fragrances and much more. It might include a problem-solving app that organizes or tracks events or data. Or, it might include a regular online meeting or check-in. Regular connections with your customers that help improve their lives, reduce trips to the store, or eliminate other tasks can all build loyalty in big ways.

When you provide a product or a service, it can be difficult to stay focused on your business while also considering how you serve customers in creative ways. Put yourself in your costumes’ shoes, and consider what you might enjoy from a business like yours. This will help you build customer loyalty in many creative ways.