How to Develop Customer Loyalty

Customer loyalty is increasingly difficult to maintain. Big companies slash prices, their deals get more tempting, and the flow of customers shifts in their direction.  

There are a lot of things that you can do to keep your customers around, though, and we’re going to explore some of those methods today. People feel better when they have a personal connection to the businesses they patron, but it’s our job to give them a good enough deal to get that ball rolling.  

Let’s look at some ideas on how to develop customer loyalty, giving you some food for thought to incorporate into your business practice.  

What is Customer Loyalty? 

Customer loyalty is the attitude a person has when they’re inclined to come back to your business for their next purchase. It’s a difficult thing to achieve.  

There are so many businesses out there that sell similar products, and odds are that there’s one or two that sell the same goods for a cheaper price. So, how are you supposed to get those customers to come back to you once they leave your door? 

Perfect Your Customer Service 

Customer service is the first thing that stands out in any customer’s experience. Small businesses have the advantage of personal touch in customer service, where large corporations are bound to codes, policies, and employee handbooks that can inhibit a personal experience.  

The difficult thing is that customer service should adjust depending on the kind of product or service you provide. In general, though, you can bank on a few things working across the board.  

Customer service is an insight into how much a company values its customers. When someone feels valued, they’re likely to remember it. So, the first thing to do is to make sure that you and your employees remember how important customers are to your business.  

Next, be sure to smooth out any customer issues that arise as you move forward. For example, if customers keep saying that your website isn’t functioning, get it fixed. If customers have to wait in your lobby, provide them with something to drink or snack on.  

If customers have a hard time contacting you via the phone or email, take measures to prioritize those methods of contact.  

Provide Customer Rewards or Benefits 

Another great method of building customer loyalty is to provide benefits to first-time and repeated customers.  

This doesn’t always have to be a subscription or a points-based program, either. For example, car dealerships will often give customers a number of free oil changes after they purchase a car. You might also offer free repairs on products that you sell for a period of time.  

You can incorporate discounts or packages on future purchases as well. Generally, any time you sell something that requires maintenance or might call for a follow-up visit to a store, make it easy for customers to come back to your store instead of a competitor’s. 

Each time someone comes back to your establishment, it solidifies their loyalty and personal connection to the business.  

Reach Out to Customers 

Think back on the most recent purchases you’ve made. Which ones stick out? 

Are the businesses that come to mind the ones that have made personal contact with you after the fact? Reaching out to make sure that the purchase is holding up and that the customer doesn’t have any questions is a big deal.  

It emphasizes that you care and that you haven’t forgotten about the people you serve every day. Remember that customer service is a reflection of the customer’s value, and that customers will reciprocate that appreciation if you can do a good job of showing it.  

So, contact customers via email or phone and make sure everything is in good standing. It’s as simple as that. There aren’t any direct benefits to making that call or sending the email, but that gesture will come back to benefit your business in the future when the customer comes back.  

Gather Customer Feedback 

Give your customers every opportunity to give you feedback. You can even incentivize feedback or customer reviews if you have to.  

Offering a discount for a Google review is something that will come back around and benefit you a great deal. Google reviews play a big part in drawing customers, and positive reviews can skyrocket your SEO rankings.  

Beyond that, though, reviews offer an insight into what people actually think about your business. Their experiences, opinions, and impressions of your company can all get worked into an adjustment of the way you operate. Over time, those small course corrections will steer you toward a group of loyal customers.  

Get Creative with Customer Appreciation 

Once the pandemic wraps up, it might not be a bad idea to host an event or gathering to show your appreciation. Using email lists and word of mouth to create an event outside of the workplace can be truly effective.  

The more personal connections you make, the better your odds of establishing customer loyalty. So, it never hurts to get creative. You could create brand-specific merchandise to give out to loyal customers or work with a number of other ideas that express your appreciation.  

Make sure that your customer appreciation efforts don’t come back with a direct financial reward. It could feel disingenuous if you ask for money as you thank someone for their patronage.  

Keep in mind that customer loyalty isn’t an exact science. It will work with some customers, while others will never come back through your doors. A continued effort, though, will definitely pay off over time.  

If you’re stumped on customer appreciation ideas to work with, you can take a look at this article for more insight into ideas that might work.  

Need a Little Help with Customer Appreciation? 

Customer loyalty is a difficult thing to attain, but it’s necessary for any business to stay afloat. We’re here to give you more ideas on how to keep customers happy.  

Explore our site for more ideas and insights into business, customer service, and everything you need to keep your business fresh and exciting.