It’s so exciting when you acquire a new customer. It opens the door to new possibilities, perhaps an ongoing relationship in which the customer returns to your brand, again and again. Loyal customers who consistently return are the path to success. But how can you make that happen?
Making customers loyal to your brand takes time and dedication, as all relationships typically do. While there are various ways to build that loyalty, there are seven primary ways to do it:
- Provide low prices, sales, and benefits
- Have a mobile-optimized online store
- Be diverse and inclusive
- Showcase intelligence in advertising
- Hire influencers
- Be ethical
- Provide easy return policies
Let’s explore each of these ways in greater detail.
Provide Low Prices, Sales, and Benefits
Solid relationships are about give and take. To build that understanding and encourage customers to buy from your brand, you must first offer them an incentive. Low prices, sales or special offers, and benefits are great ways to make customers feel like they’re getting something out of the relationship.
In a study of US teen Internet users, findings revealed that low prices, sales, and discounts influenced shoppers’ buying decisions. Additionally, two-thirds of the study’s participants said a great price made them more loyal to certain brands, with exclusive benefits also a big factor.
Have a Mobile-Optimized Online Store
Gen Zs, the age demographic consisting of teens aged 13 to 17, are the largest and most influential generation in the United States. For this generation, mobile is an integral part of their every day routine and plays a significant role in their purchase decisions. According to Emarketer, 56 percent of teens use their mobile devices to shop online. Additionally, a February 2017 survey found that Gen Zs even use their smartphones to shop in-store. Optimize your online store for mobile and create a seamless experience for young consumers.
Be Diverse and Inclusive
Gen Zs have a very diverse makeup. By 2020, 50 percent of Gen Zs will be part of a minority race or ethnic group. To establish a relationship with this generation, your communication with them (i.e. advertisements) should feature diversity and inclusivity. For example, you can feature more people of different ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations in your ads. When your brand shows diversity and inclusivity, Gen Zs will be more responsive and more loyal.
Showcase Intelligence in Advertising
Consumers today place more value on intelligence than beauty. Ads that feel superficial no longer make the cut. Sixty-five percent of young consumers would rather have a great mind than a great body. To make sure consumers aren’t scrolling passed your ad because it pushes glamour and beauty too much, use a clever and intelligent angle instead. Think glasses and books rather than sex and bikinis.
Hire Influencers
To establish brand loyalty you must establish trust. Consumers tend to trust influencers more than brands. If an influencer is showcasing your brand, consumers are more likely to buy it. Look for popular influencers with social media behaviors that would be relevant to your brand. You also want to look for influencers who are genuine, unique, and innovative. This will add to the value consumers will receive by being loyal to your brand.
Be Ethical
If a consumer feels like your brand violates their ethical standards, there is no foundation of trust, no brand loyalty. How can consumers expect to trust a brand that has no moral compass? Consumers admire brands that have ethical standards because those standards show commitment beyond making money. Be consistently ethical across all of your brand’s behaviors. Doing so will make your brand more admirable and trustworthy to consumers.
Provide Easy Return Policies
If a consumer is on the fence about making a purchase, a complicated return policy could be the ultimate dealbreaker. It could also prevent a consumer from shopping with your brand in the first place. According to Emarketer, more than half of US Internet users avoid shopping with stores that have strict return policies. Additionally, 37.9 percent of in-store shoppers said their most important concern regarding returns is getting a full refund, with no complicated store credit or exchange alternatives. Create a return policy that’s easy to understand and that puts customer convenience first.
Every relationship requires attention and reasons to commit. Show your customers that you’re committed to making them happy, using the ways discussed in this article, and you will be rewarded with loyalty in return.
