In a world full of marketing services what is more important is the foundations to converting customers rather than falling into the trap of “fads and gimmicks”. Quality, respect and value are traits that customers react positively to, so this holiday season keep these in mind and start to see your customer loyalty increase.

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What is Customer Loyalty?    

Loyalty is defined as “a strong feeling of support or allegiance.” Something that every business and company should strive towards with their customer relationships. 

A loyal customer is more than just repeat business it is the idea that they support your brand while keeping a line of communication open. Customer loyalty is one of the hardest commodities to harvest and more importantly to maintain. 

Respect and Value 

So why do so many businesses get this process wrong? 

I simply break this down into two reasons, “respect and value”. Respecting the customer and understanding how to nurture them is a key element in this process. 

What does your business offer that has value to a customer and are your actions reflecting this?

A real-life example I see all too often is “subscribe to get 10% off our products”. The brand is offering a discount on their goods but only if the customer is going to subscribe to their newsletter. This idea was once the way forward but with the ever-increasing world of ecommerce a huge percentage of business get this wrong. 

Let’s paint the scene, you secure the customer email, make the sale and then because you fail to “respect and value” the customer (often with poor marketing) the inevitable happens, the customer unsubscribes.

Let’s take this process and show you how you can turn your Holiday Shoppers into Loyal Customers with a different approach. There is greater value in a customer that wants to be part of your brand than a customer that has a poor experience and never shops with you again. 

Offering a discount code without a sign-up clause (especially for new companies) is a great way to add value before your customer has even reached the checkout. 

The shopping experience becomes easier, there is no waiting time for a code that may or may not arrive (due to poor site functionality or client email issues). The shopper completes their purchase and receives the order successfully. This process gives respect and value to the customer, they have saved money, the buyer experience has improved and the likelihood of a voluntary sign up has increased. 

There are many tactics to help encourage customer loyalty such as sign up footers in the confirmation email, sending exclusive VIP deals with your packaging or offer other valuable incentives however the difference is we are not making the 1st purchase difficult with the goal of generating organic brand loyalty. 

Understand Your Customers 

Creating brand and customer loyalty has a world of benefits for your ecommerce business. We have highlighted the importance of Respect and Value, also how first impressions can leave you with a lost customer however accurately knowing your target customer will give you a competitive edge. 

Depending on your industry, age, gender, location etc all have an impact on the way you should market and communicate with your customers. Before you even start the process of customer retention you should know the ins and outs of your demographic.

For example, I enjoy shopping at a well-known Southern California clothing brand. I like the coast/surf/sea, I am within the age demographic, my price point sits well for the cost of the products so when this brand sends me marketing material, I respond positively to this. The brand has built up trust with me and has successfully gained a loyalty over time through respect, value and crucially understanding me as a customer. 

Ndiwano Holiday hub

Building customer loyalty requires many skillsets such as marketing, sales, and design. Ndiwano has created the Holiday Hub, which is an online portal where you can access valuable information to help you “Seize the Season”. The hub is a free online resource that allows you to access masterclasses from professionals on Ndiwano . You can view my video guide “Upgrade Your Store In Time For Q4” as well as valuable content from leading Ndiwano talent.

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