Three Tips for Maintaining Customer Loyalty

Finding new clients and customers is both exciting and necessary for business. Still, it’s important to strike a balance between new customer outreach and current customer engagement. Your loyal patrons are the ones that helped get you to where you are now, after all. So, how do you go about continuously engaging these repeat customers as part of your digital strategy? That’s the focus of today’s post.

Connect on Social Media

Social media has grown into an essential engagement tool for small businesses. When you connect with your target audience on social media, you are essentially leveling the playing field for conversation. Instead of projecting your own message, you have the opportunity to hear and respond to what others are saying about your brand.

Use your social media channels as a place to actively listen to the feedback customers are giving. It’s an opportunity for you to implement positive change in your practices, as well as show your exemplary customer service skills. Be prompt in your responses (try to act within a few hours at most) and be consistently kind, helpful, and respectful. Customers will feel welcome engaging with you and look forward to their next experience with your brand.

Voice Your Values

Often, customers stay loyal to brands and businesses because they feel that they share the same values. According to the 5W PR 2020 report, 71% of consumers buy from brands that align with their personal values. It should be a priority for your business to consistently live up to these values, as well as communicate their importance to your audience. This doesn’t have to necessarily mean posting “our business supports sustainable energy” on your social media every week. In this case, showing is usually more effective than telling.

For instance, if your business strongly values community engagement, post pictures of your employees attending (or running) a community fundraiser. If you are big on sustainability, share tips on upcycling as your business practices it. You want to create a level of understanding with your customers to show the good you are creating in their world. Don’t be afraid to put what you are doing on display.

Give a Little

Who doesn’t enjoy receiving free things from a business they love? Although coupons and giveaways are not going to be the only answer for customer loyalty, they certainly do help. When you include discounts for signing up for email newsletters or do giveaways on social media, it shows your audience that you value them enough to give what you have without any cost to them. If you prove that you appreciate their loyalty, it helps foster further engagement with and excitement for your brand.

Keeping a strong focus on your current customer base while attracting newcomers is essential for success. Having a loyal community can be a useful tool, especially when it comes time to revamp brands and store offerings. Your customers are the reason you conduct your business in the first place, so be sure to consistently show them your appreciation.