Getting a new customer or client is exciting, but what is even
more exciting is when that customer comes back. If a customer does repeat
business with you, it means you did something right the first time and they
enjoyed their experience so much they want to do it again.
Increasing brand loyalty makes your business stronger. The more
repeat customers and clients you have, the more profit you earn. Here are a few
tips and tricks to increase your brand loyalty:
Customer Service Above Everything Else
This may seem like a no-brainer, but so many people and businesses
fall short in this department. Making sure you’re providing the best customer service possible is your number one priority.
If you’re trying to increase your brand loyalty, one of the
easiest fixes is ensuring your customers are getting what they want. Observe
how they interact with you or your business. Read what they’re writing on
review sites — they’ll likely be much more honest when they’re leaving a review
than when speaking directly to you. Listen and adapt to create the best
environment for your customers.
Send Thank You Cards
Image via Flickr by wuestenigel
Thanking a customer as they leave your shop is a good practice to
have. But how can you take it a step further? What if you don’t have a physical
store? Send a thank you card or email as a follow-up. Nothing says “thank you for your business” more than putting it down in words
in a thoughtful, appreciative way.
This largely forgotten practice used to be commonplace a few
decades ago. Letting a customer know you appreciate them and their patronage
does two things: makes them feel good and makes them more loyal to your brand.
If you don’t have time to send out cards to everyone you work with, consider a
service like Handwrytten, which composes and sends them out for you.
Reward Them
Give them an incentive to return. Creating a reward or loyalty program gives them a reason to be excited to come
back to you.
You can do this in several ways, depending on your services. Offer
discounted work when they return to you, give them more for less money, or let
them earn points with every purchase so they can work toward a reward. These
incentives are easy to make and exciting to join.
Follow-Up
Once you’ve finished providing the best customer service you can,
thanking customers for their business, and offering reasons to come back, you
can and should always follow-up with your customers. Send them an email to
remind them you’re still ready to help them. Let customers know about any new
services or stock. Invite them to come back because in our busy lives, we
sometimes forget. A thoughtful follow-up can remind people of the good service
you gave them.
At the end of the day, if you treat your customers right, they’ll
come back to you. Let them know you mean it when you say you want their
business by creating the best version of your business you can and make sure
their experience is nothing short of top-notch.
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