Brand loyalty is largely defined as what a company does to create a loyal connection from customers. The actions and strategies in place to retain a strong return to purchase figure is represented by how many people stick around for more after that initial engagement. There are lots of benefits to growing a loyalty base, from increased recommendations to steady streams of revenue and in between. Here are five tips for building brand loyalty and what that would mean for your company.
Show People Who You Are
Without an origin story, what hope is there of creating true connection? Representing a brand is, of course, more than simply performing a compelling backstory, but it certainly helps to fuel that first spark of engagement. Showing people who you are raises brand awareness, and it enables customers who love what you do to talk about you more easily as well. If they have a story to tell, it will make you all that more compelling, and isn’t that the ultimate goal? Remain consistent with any marketing strategy, and ensure it is a wholly collaborative and informed approach in all departments. There must be:
- Consistent brand colors
- A font people associate with you
- A great name
- A logo
Be Socially Conscious and Responsible
Brands must represent to their following that they have a conscience. It is a straightforward way to show the newer generations that you care about the things that they feel passionate about too. Gen Zer’s and Millennials in particular are always on the lookout for brands that will represent their values most authentically. These values are often focused on sustainability, ethical production, and charitable participation rates, with companies that donate a percentage of their profit, for example, coming out on top consistently against the competition.
Be Great at Customer Service
Customers who have a poor experience with a brand will always be searching for a resolution. If you fail to provide a solution to the problem, you will immediately go down in their estimations and may suffer a reputational hit as a direct result. This can be avoided through seeking out better customer service practices. There must be clear policies and procedures in place for all staff members in customer facing roles whether they are front of house or behind the scenes addressing concerns. A brand that looks after their clients is one that is remembered.
Create Rewards Schemes
One thing loyal customer love is to be rewarded for that dedication. It is natural to want some form of recognition if you have stayed true to a brand and spent lots of money with them, or simply purchased a product on a regular basis. Companies are able to reward these consumer habits with promotions, discounts, freebies, and exclusive VIP content, or even a VIP club.
Be the Expert
If your product or service doesn’t live up to the hype, it will be extremely hard to accumulate or retain any degree of brand loyalty. That is why product quality is essential. If you know what you’re selling needs updating, improving, and tweaking here and there, then get the job done before it is released to the public. A brand is only as good as what it sells, after all, and if what it sells falls short, people will talk about that, and you will lose customers. There is no way around this other than ensuring an excellent service from start to finish including, most importantly of all, the actual product experience.
Create brand loyalty through looking after your customers and selling a service that lives up to a high standard. People want to know they can rely on a company before they sign over their soul to the loyalty agenda, and companies have to show them why they’re worth it.