How to Supercharge Brand Loyalty

It’s simple. Companies need loyal customers to keep making sales.

Brand loyalty is crucial to your business. It’s the peak of Metrics Mountain, the goal of pretty much everything you’re doing.

But it doesn’t happen overnight. 

You have to create mutual trust between yourself and the consumer. If you do that, you can be sure they don’t decide to catch the next bus back down the mountain.

Let’s be real. For consumers, there are tons of great options in the modern landscape. It’s easy to find another brand if your go-to is out of stock or changes price.

Not to mention everyone is more competitive. 

For marketers, it’s a challenge.

The key is working with a specific plan and getting ready to pivot.

Be understanding

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74% of senior executives believe that customer experience impacts loyalty, according to SuperOffice

The best way to get the experience ball rolling is by understanding consumers. That’s right! Not just your customers, but consumers as a whole. 

There are a few reasons for this.

1. It keeps you up to date on the market.
2. It keeps your strategies fresh.
   

One of the main reasons people stick to a brand is because they feel understood. Whether through shared values, being part of the club, customer service, or personal “on-brand” aesthetics. 

Understanding opens the door to lasting customer relationships. You won’t know what to offer until you start paying attention.

Customize the experience

Now you get each other. What’s next? 

Remember that their journey consists of a lifecycle you can manipulate, but not in the creepy, we-advertise-what-you-just-thought-about kind of way. Think old friends sharing coffee on a well-worn couch.

Adam Toporek says, “Design the experience to prevent negative emotions and to help facilitate the positive, emotionally resonant experiences that generate loyalty.”

Move the relationship forward by monitoring their reactions to your customization. 

Of course, you should be doing this already. But  you especially shouldn’t abandon it once you have brand-loyal customers. That’s like dating someone for a while and then becoming a different person once you’re comfortable. 

Not cool, man.

Use your customer data to segment them (Iterable, anyone?), offering the best possible follow-up and products for their interests.

Consider using “People like you…” or “You might also like…” to promote extra services -- but only if data points to their interest in that area.

Have you ever sent a company feedback and waited as they just… left you hanging?

95% of unhappy customers share their experiences with others, while 87% share good experiences, according to Zendesk.

If you end up with bad reviews, use them to your advantage. 

Listen to what your recurring customers have to say on surveys, social media, your website. Communicate with them and act on their suggestions.

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Create loyalty programs

Good loyalty programs should retain customers, build your reputation, and grow your customer base.

Contrary to popular belief, these aren’t just credit or rewards cards. You don’t have to be that aggressive. They’re things like:

1. Referral codes
2. Discounts for returning customers
3. Free products after a certain number of purchases
4. Early access
5. Exclusive products for a paid membership (similar to Patreon)
6. Point-based rewards (like Starbucks stars)
   

Show your loyalists how much you value them by giving them cool stuff. Listen, we’re only human. It just works.

Do good

Value alignment is a major loyalty factor in this climate. People notice what companies stand for and how they handle themselves. It can determine your fate.

So, don’t be sketchy. 

Prove that you’re a passionate team, ready to put in the work.

50% of consumers are willing to pay more for a product if it’s from a brand they trust. Show your trustworthiness through delivering on your promises and genuinely doing good in the world.

We like to say that we want to be a force for good. That’s promoted through high-quality products and customer service, white-hat techniques, and being for our customers.

Be consistent

Loyalists are there to back your brand, not a mixed messaging bag. They want to know that what they’re getting reflects the streamlined values they signed up for.

Know your story to promote your story. 

It’s obvious when a company doesn’t know what direction they’re going in. They have mixed messaging, so their branding doesn’t match. Dumpster fire.

Remember that much of the reason they’re loyal is because of your branding. You’re their spirit animal. 

If you can’t keep that consistent, their perception changes.

Customers want a brand that’s got their stuff together, so they can feel like they have their stuff together, too.

Your assets, tone, and quality should reflect your story across every touchpoint. Keep everything top-notch to reflect your new top-notch brand loyalists. It’s what they deserve.

It’s not enough anymore to sell a great product. You have to put in consistent work behind the scenes to see any real gains in loyalty. Take it from us: it’s worth your time. 

Alright, you know what to do. Now, what do you like to see in a company? What draws you in so you can’t, or better, don’t want to leave?