In today’s marketplace conditions, few people find a brand and stay loyal to it. Most of the times, shoppers are interested in obtaining a big discount, regardless of the company. Under these circumstances, companies need to come up with new ideas on how to build their brand loyalty and attract other long-term customers. That’s why today we are going to have a look at several solutions to this problem.
How to Build Brand Loyalty – Tips and Tricks
1. Maintain a High Quality
Regardless of the temporarily low prices your competitors offer to attract customers, people will always come back to a quality product. A high price will always leave people the impression that your brand is an exclusivist one, but you don’t need to rely on that all the time. Moreover, people will appreciate the consistency of your quality products or services.
2. Engage People
You need to be consistent when communicating with your target market as well. Let people know what’s going on in your company, share insights and plans. It’s essential to build momentum through your communication media. Fans love to feel involved in the processes developed by the company, so don’t let this slip through your fingers.
3. Focus on the Best Customers
Many managers or business owners make the mistake of focusing on aimlessly driving sales. Instead of taking this path, it would be better for your company to insist on your best customers, called brand lovers. If you do so, you will see a rise in the return on innovation and marketing efforts. One example of a company who is successfully using this tactic is Apple.
4. Build a Good Reputation
Try as much as possible to have positive experiences with your customers. Of course, this won’t always be possible, but it does matter to have mostly positive reviews. Customers always come back if they have a happy experience with a company, so don’t overlook this.
5. Ask for Feedback
Another big mistake you should avoid is not asking for feedback. It’s essential to keep in touch with your customers and ask their opinion about your business or service. How did they feel about their most recent experience? Are they satisfied with your company overall? Does the product/service meet their expectations? You’ll be surprised to see how many things you can find out from your customers.
6. Use Technology
Nowadays, technology is essential for succeeding in business. Whether you keep in touch with your customers, work together with your partners or watch your competitors’ evolution, you need to have an online presence. Create some surveys and see what platforms are preferred by your customers. Maybe some of them spend more time on Facebook, others on Instagram, etc. Luckily, there are plenty of social media analysis tools to help you figure this one out.
7. Give People a Reason to Come Back
Why should your customers come back? Place yourself in their shoes and see what would make you choose to stay loyal to a brand. The truth is that there are plenty of brand loyalty articles out there that teach you what to do. However, it’s important for you to understand on your own what makes people come back. It could be a program that rewards customer loyalty, insider access, or discounts. The key here is to know that people don’t always look for items they can buy, but they want to feel appreciated and special.
8. Be Professional
No matter the circumstances, you shouldn’t give up on your professional attitude. There will be times when your high-level approach will be challenged, whether we’re talking about unprofessional partners or rude customers. However, a conflict is never going to boost your brand loyalty, nor attract long-term customers. Regardless of the industry you’re in, be professional in any circumstances.
9. Tell a Story
Nothing attracts people more than a brand telling their story. Most shoppers are impressed by the age and experience a brand has. But even if you haven’t been for that long in the business, you should still write and tell a story. Talk about your values and the personality of your company. The catch here is that the values and experiences you communicate about your brand should derive from those of your customers. For this reason, it’s important to know your target audience well.
10. Show Your Customers that You Appreciate Them
You don’t need to go out of your way to make your customers feel appreciated. Train your personnel to be extra polite and kind to them. Saying a simple ‘thank you and have a nice day’ can go a long way with some shoppers. Remember to wish them happy holidays, happy birthday or a happy New Year whenever the case. This shows to people that you care about them and that they’re not just numbers to you.
11. Take the Time to Know Your Regular Customers
If you know a customer that has been shopping at you for a couple of months already, take some time to know them. Strike a conversation when you see them again in the store, ask them about their experience with you, etc. If they come back that often, they will most likely be happy to answer your questions and tell you more about them.
12. Anticipate People’s Needs
Even if you reached a new level of your brand loyalty, this doesn’t mean you should stop caring. Try to anticipate your customer’s needs to stay on top of their preferences. Before selling them a product, stop for a second and listen to what they need or want. People will appreciate a great experience, besides getting the product(s) they came in for.
For those of you who are interested to know more on this topic, you can check out this TED Talk about brand loyalty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JyhZddN4DI
To draw a conclusion, it’s not an easy task to build brand loyalty, but it’s surely worth it. The 12 steps we presented above are universal, so you can apply them to your company regardless of the industry you’re in. It’s important to pay attention to your customer’s needs, to communicate with them, and to motivate them to come back to you. You don’t even need to invest a huge amount of money to achieve this, sometimes simply being polite will make people feel good and want to return.
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