Marketing for Customer Loyalty – Part 2

How to make your customers smile and buy…and buy again and again

Part 2: 5 things you can do today to improve customer loyalty

In part 1 of Customer Loyalty Marketing, we looked at satisfying the “primal factors” of your customers – satisfaction of needs, physical appeal, confidence – and assuming these are covered, we need to find ways to stay in the forefront their mind. So how is this done in such a highly competitive landscape? You need to continually build upon the relationship.

Getting to that “second date” takes some work. You can go the George Costanza route with a “leave behind”

“I’m like a commercial jingle. First it’s a little irritating. Then you hear it a few times. You’re humming it in the shower. By the third date, it’s ‘Buy Mennen!’”

He’s on the right track—especially since he’s quoting an old Mennen jingle. The customer needs to think of you first—WITHOUT being irritated, of course.

Here’s 5 simple steps that you don’t need to be a marketing pro to start on today that will help you become that top-of-mind, go-to company for current customers so they stop searching for something better in those bright and shiny new competitors.

1. Thank them genuinely.

In person: be real, be thankful to the person that pays your salary. After the sale: send a thank you card or email. People love nothing more than to feel appreciated.

2. Remember them.

There’s nothing better than going into a store or restaurant and having someone appear to remember you. Like “Cheers” where everybody knows your name. Here’s a great example: we go to the same restaurant each year at the Jersey shore. We go only twice a season. We recognize many of the staff but not by name. Yet they seem to know us by name; OK sure, we made reservations. Here’s what’s cool: they know that we were there before the new addition or when the outdoor section was just a simple deck. A good customer management system will help everyone recall the details that you can share and make everyone feel at home.

Proflowers Thanks You
A special acknowledgment from ProFlowers

3. Surprise them.

Here’s one I love: I got a “happy anniversary” card from ProFlowers the other day. They were recognizing the anniversary of my first purchase. Out of the blue, no expectations on my part. It included a coupon as well. Guess where I made my next purchase? They made the decision easy—and I didn’t waste time shopping around.

4. Socialize with them.

Social media makes it easy for your customers to Like you, but staying loyal to that relationship takes work. Share special deals with them. Give them valuable information that they can relate to. (They shop in your store, so you should know some basic demographics to share relatable information.)

5. Check in on them.

“You haven’t visited in a while. Hope all is well.” A simple check-in – by email, a note in the mail, maybe even a call – non-prying, just simple concern might remind them to restock or may lead them to call and not they weren’t 100% delighted with their last visit. Either way, it can’t hurt.

You don’t need a huge marketing budget to attempt any of the above. Pick one or two to start on. The key is developing systems to ensure proper execution and properly training your staff to get it done.

Do nothing, get nothing; so why not do something?

 

Related article:

Customer Loyalty Marketing – Part 1:  The basics of service and appeal in building customer relationships