Customer loyalty is key to a business’ success. While acquisition is also important, your core customers are the ones who will bring in the revenue and work as advocates for your brand.
It’s also an economically wise business strategy to focus attention on improving customer loyalty. That’s because it costs as much as 6-7 times as much to acquire a new client than it does to retain a current one. Not only that but loyal customers spend more than new customers.
So how can you best reach your devoted patrons and make sure they’re taken care of? Here are some marketing channels you should try that will help boost customer loyalty:
Mobile Search
Mobile searches are surpassing desktop searches and yet many marketers fail to invest in a positive mobile UX for their customers. When you consider that almost two out of every three minutes spent online is on a mobile device, that’s a big mistake.
The bottom line is that if your website is not mobile-friendly, you’re going to lose some of your customers. A poor mobile website diminishes a customer’s trust in the brand and makes them less likely to purchase from that brand.
In fact, 79% of shoppers who had a negative website experience are unlikely to return to that site again. It also impacts sales during a purchase. A delay of two seconds of loading time during a purchase transaction led to as high as 87% abandonment rates.
What to do? Make sure your site is fast-loading and mobile friendly with intuitive site menus and easy-to-access purchase information and streamlined checkout processes.
Text Messaging
SMS loyalty programs are a great way to engage your core customers: 48% of consumers said that SMS is their preferred means of receiving loyalty program messages.
Make sure you treat your SMS customers with exclusive specials and VIP offers. This gives your clients the incentive to join and to stay. The best thing is that the customers who sign up for SMS loyalty programs want you to market to them.
Texting is easy-to-use to the marketer and convenient to the consumer. Sending personalized and targeted offers based on customer preferences and purchasing history can result in higher ROIs and conversions.
Marketing Booths
Sometimes it’s important for online stores to grab their gear and get offline for a while. Having personal customer contact where you can interact, answer questions and allow customers to test-drive your product can be an important way to generate new interest in your brand and to reinforce existing connections with loyal customers. Make sure the staff is well-informed and personable and that your display draws attention for a winning event.
Social Media
Social media should not be underestimated when it comes to driving traffic to websites. Studies show that more customers find websites because of social media than because of internet searches.
However, social media doesn’t only bring you customers. When used right, social media helps customers stay engaged with their preferred brands.
Some social media marketing tips:
- Spread the word by investing in boosting popular posts recommended by site managers.
- Share photos and videos.
- Respond quickly to customer service queries.
Content Marketing
In the world of YouTube and Instagram, it’s easy to forget how important content is to consumers. Sure, a flashy image will grab the customer’s attention, but offering well-researched content that focuses on the customer and how your product can benefit them is the crowning jewel of marketing.
In fact, leaders of content marketing generate nearly 8 times more site traffic than non-leaders. Original content written by knowledgeable writers has the potential to skyrocket your brand’s credibility, recall and conversion rates (six times higher than those who don’t adopt a content marketing strategy).
Live Chat
Giving your clients the ability to chat with a customer service representative and ask questions about your product or service before making a purchase or during the checkout process can help boost sales.
Live chat helps the customers who are on your website (i.e. interested and ready to buy) to make purchasing decisions. Getting instant help is convenient to the client and businesses who have adopted it have seen buying rates increase.
It’s an oldie but a goodie. While new technological marketing platforms are growing in popularity, email is far from dead: 80% of U.S. retailers say that email drives customer retention.
Welcoming customers, sending rewards, tips, promotions and personalized email messages all work to maintain loyal customers. 88% of customers who received birthday emails from a company said it enhanced their brand loyalty.
Try out these channels to increase customer retention for your business and share your experience in comments below!
Tracy Blanchard is a Freelance Writer and Business Content Creator for TextMagic