Ways to Increase Brand Loyalty
It is more costly to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing customer.
Loyal customers are an important asset for any business – they purchase more, and they spread goodwill for your company, bringing in new customers as well.
Developing your company brand is key to driving customers to your business. The more a consumer resonates with your brand, the more likely they are to buy from you again. Creating this loyal following of customers can ensure continued success and help drive sales of your company’s products and services forward.
Today, it is almost guaranteed that every business has competition, whether it’s from someone working out of their garage, home, or in a traditional storefront business.
While it is important to generate new customers, it is even more important to maintain strong relationships with the ones you already have, especially in today’s competitive market. The Internet has made it extremely easy for clients, both prospective and existing to find and compare businesses online. Today’s article provides tips on how you can optimize your customer service approaches to convert both your new and current customers, into loyal ones.
First, when a new customer comes to you, politely ask them how they found out about your business and keep a list of their responses. Review this list often to identify the common channels that generate majority of new customers for you, and try to promote your business more on those channels; whether it is through word-of-mouth, websites, social media referrals, etc. Depending on your type of business, you’ll get new customers through different lead-generating channels. Knowing where your target customers usually go to find your type of business will allow you to position yourself in front of them effectively.
Second, always make it very clear to your customers what you provide, and what it will do for them. Work hard to try to avoid negative comments about your business or brand. Simply do the best you can to create a positive Customer Experience. As you know, bad words often travel farther and faster than good ones especially in this social media era where comments and stories will spread faster than you can resolve them. Being clear, honest, and sincere are the best ways to avoid having your reputation harmed, so that you can continue to work to gain your customers’ trust.
Third, try to exceed your customers’ expectations, repeatedly. In today’s competitive market, meeting your customer’s expectations may no longer be enough. In fact, it might create opportunities for competitors to take away your customers. So go the extra mile to delight your customers. It will help build customer loyalty while costing you much less than trying to win back customers you’ve lost to competitors.
Fourth, ask for customer feedback. This gives customers a chance to reflect on the experience they had with you, which naturally makes your service more memorable. Most importantly, this serves as an opportunity for the company to evaluate and re-strategize if need be. You can post customers’ testimonials on your website to help you continue to build a good reputation for your business when the feedback is positive.
Finally, many customers use the Internet to find and learn about business providers before making the phone call or driving to the store. This is reasonable enough for you to consider establishing a professional website to let potential customers learn about your business 24-7, at their convenience.
