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5 Tips & Tricks For Maintaining Customer Loyalty

5 Ways To Create, Build & Maintain Loyal Customers

Small or large, creating and maintaining a business is difficult. Between closing new sales, retaining customers and building a strong team, you have a lot on your plate!

However, maybe your customers are leaving, or they seem unsatisfied with your business. You know you have a strong team, and that your product or service is quality, so what’s the issue?

If you haven’t taken the time to consider customer loyalty, that could explain why your customers are struggling. But maybe you don’t know what customer loyalty is, or how to maintain it. If that’s the case, you’re in luck! Follow along with us below to learn what customer loyalty is, why you need it, and five steps to help you maintain it.

What Is Customer Loyalty?

According to HubSpot, “customer loyalty is a customer’s willingness to buy from or work with a brand again and again, and it’s the result of a positive customer experience, customer satisfaction, and the value of the products or services the customer gets from the transaction.”

Why Customer Loyalty Matters For Your Company?

How does a business thrive? It’s simple, really.

I’m going to use one of my favorite shows, Shark Tank to elaborate. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Shark Tank is a show where business owners pitch their company to the “Sharks”—a.k.a. Investors—and hope for an investment in exchange for equity in their company. After the initial “elevator pitch,” the Sharks start asking the tough questions like, “What are your sales?” and “What does the future look like for your company?”

Company growth is dependent on customer loyalty. Whether Sharks are being pitched a paint brush cover, or custom cat drawings, the investors need to know that consumers are going to be interested enough in the product or service. And when they can see potential and growth in a company’s future, we get a reaction like this:

This is why customer loyalty matters. Customers are the reason a business can grow and continue to thrive. Customer loyalty truly is what makes the business world go round. Without loyal customers, your business wouldn’t be able to experience growth, gather data or increase sales.

5 Steps To Build Customer Loyalty For Your Business

1. Be Human

Whether you’re pitching, onboarding, or retaining your customers, rapport should be continuous. Make sure to keep it personal; allow them to get to know you, and make sure you are making an effort to know them.

2. Listen and Communicate

Your customers chose you for a reason. Don’t drop off the map once you’ve sold them. It is important that you continue to delight your customers, so they continue to feel heard and listened to.

3. Add Value Where You Can

When you’re at a department store and an associate goes out of their way to help you find that one particular item, it feels like victory. Your customers should feel the same way about your business! If you continue to go out of your way for your customers, you will win their loyalty.

4. Build Trust

Trust doesn’t stop at the end of a receipt, meeting or project. Continue to be the expert your customer needs. Know your industry, your company, your product, and most importantly—your customer! Have the answers to the questions they need, and demonstrate a sense of urgency in finding answers and solutions.

5. Make Your Customers a Priority Regardless of the Platform

Everyone is different in terms of their preferred method of communication. However, as professionals, we need to speak the language of all media and mediums. Be responsive on social media. Follow up quickly on email and text. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone. No matter what way your customers are reaching out, stay on top of it. By responding to customers quickly, and on the platform they prefer, you will continue to build trust. This trust is crucial to maintaining customer loyalty!

So You Have Loyal Customers… Don’t Stop There!

Your customers are in the roots, trunks, and branches of your growing business. Don’t forget to be human, and truly listen to your customers. When they need something, continue to be a resource so they know they can trust you. Add as much value as you can—it will not go unnoticed. And most importantly, remember that your customer is your first priority, so treat them as such! By continuing to maintain loyal customers, you are bound to experience growth and success in your business.

At the end of the day, you can’t build customer loyalty if you don’t know who your customers are. To help you determine, and pinpoint, new customers, take a look at our FREE Target Audience Guide!

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