Gaining customers is hard. Keeping customers is a whole new level. Companies, even the well-established ones, are always looking for ways on how they can increase the number of loyal customers to their brand.
If you are also looking for that, well, look no further because I have here a list of tips and ways you can use to increase your loyal customers.
Now, if you’re ready, let’s begin with our tips!
Tips To Keeping Customers for Life
1. Communicate with Your Customers
Ever heard the saying that communication is the key to a good relationship? Well, that also applies to businesses. Communication builds relationships, relationships build trust, trust builds loyalty, and loyalty is what you need.
Keep in mind that costumers have a variety of brands like yours that they could choose from, so your brand needs to stand out. One way of doing this is by maintaining communication with your customers. A customer will always come back to a brand that they have felt a connection with, so build that connection.
(Extra Tip: As much as possible, keep the communication personal and conversational. Talking to a real person will make your customer feel important. No one likes talking to machines all the time)
2. Be Reliable and Consistent
Be an expert in what your brand does best, and ALWAYS deliver quality services on time. Do not be like those brands that are only good at the beginning. Make your customer feel that they could rely on your services. Consistency will build confidence in your brand and will make your customers want to stay.
Remember to be clear about what your brand is offering, the more specific, the better. This way, your customers will know what they would be expecting from you. It’s okay to provide additional services, but always remember to keep the main focus of your brand clear.
3. Create a Reward System
Everyone loves rewards. Offer discounts, coupons, or extra services to your loyal customers. Customers will stay if they know that they could get something from staying.
Remember that your best clients are the ones you already have, so invest in them and do not take them for granted.
(Extra Tip: Make a good first impression by giving rewards to new customers too. )
4. Invest in a Good Logo
It might sound trivial, but it’s true. Your logo represents your brand, so you must invest in creating a good one. Just think about how we could identify logos like Youtube, Twitter, or Spotify, easily even without their names written.
Keep your logo simple. Make it easier for your customers to remember you.
(Extra Tip: If you want to have a tagline, try not to use unfamiliar words. Keep it short, simple, and catchy.)
5. Use Influencer Marketing Promotion
These days influencers, especially those that have a large number of followers, are the go-to person for people to know whether a brand is good or not.
Your customers will feel more secure with your brand if they see influencers supporting your brand.
(Extra Tip: Getting random influencers and paying them to promote your brand is okay. But winning their recognition and approval because your brand offers excellent services is better. This way, you will gain new loyal customers who will be more than willing to promote your brand.)
6. Create a Customer Community
There is no greater testament to the quality of your brand than those that came from your customers. Create a platform for your customers. You could make a blog where they could do forums and discussions regarding your brand.
Customers believe the testimonies of other customers. They rely more on the reviews and opinions of other customers than what you have to say.
(Extra Tip: It would be a great idea to give thanks and rewards to your customers that answers the concern of some of your other customers. When you do this, your customer will feel like they belong with your team and will want to stay.)
7. Be Flexible
Always try to make working with your brand a pleasant experience for your customers. Be open to adjusting your services according to your customers’ preferences. Your customers will appreciate it if they can feel that you are doing your best to accommodate them. They will remember your brand if you make it easy for them to work with you.
8. Hire the Right Employees to Value Your Customers
A brand that is indifferent to its customers could lead to a disaster. Customers will stay if you make them feel valued. You have to make them feel involved and make them feel like they are part of the company’s growth.
Always try to be patient and friendly to your customers. Customers remember how you made them feel. No matter how excellent your brand is, if they did not feel welcome, chances are they would not choose your brand again.
That is also why you must choose the right employees. Your employees should have the same values as your brand. Remember that your employees are also a representation of your brand. It would reflect poorly on your brand if you have a rude or unprofessional employee.
9. Be Transparent
Nobody is perfect. That applies to companies too. You must acknowledge that no matter how hard you try, there would be problems and challenges from time to time. What you have to do is own up to your mistakes, apologize to your shortcomings, and take full responsibility.
You must remember that your brand is always in the growing process. Take these challenges as an opportunity to learn and improve your brand.
Be transparent to your customer. Most customers would appreciate it if you are honest with them.
10. Accept Feedback and Suggestions
Make your customers know that their opinions matter. Make them feel that your brand is not just all about making sales, but more about genuinely wanting to provide services.
By being open to feedback and suggestions, you will know what areas in your company need improvement and how you could improve them. It is efficient because it will provide satisfaction to your customers and will save your company time in planning and strategizing.
(Extra tip: Try giving rewards to your customers when they give feedback and suggestions.)
11. Tag Super Customers
Keep track of your customers that have been loyal and invested in your brand for a long time. Label them as your Super Customers. Give them discounts, rewards, and offer them to be the first to see when you are planning something new in your brand. Let them test your ideas first. It would be like they are your beta testers. They will provide honest feedback, and at the same time, they would feel that you value them.
12. Always be Grateful
Keep a database that will keep track of all information you have about each of your customers. Send them messages, gifts, discounts, or rewards on their birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or on their new accomplishments. Make them feel that you care about them as a person as well and not just as a customer.
Always thank your customers and make them feel that you appreciate them for choosing your brand. People stay when they feel welcome and appreciated.
13. Go Beyond What is Expected
Delivering excellent quality of service should always be expected from your brand. Surprise your customers by going beyond the expectation. Give them more than their money’s worth, and they will remain your loyal customers for life.
To Wrap it All Up
If you go through all the tips, you will notice that most of them point out that you must build a relationship with your customers. That is because building a relationship is of utmost importance if you want to have loyal customers.
To back-up that statement, let us quote our article. ” Relationships build trust, trust builds loyalty, and loyalty is what you need.”
So invest, make that effort, and witness your brand grow!
