Any business that wants to succeed in the long term needs to work on ways to encourage customer loyalty. It is your regular customers that will keep you afloat when you have a little dip in sales. Increasing loyalty is something all business owners will devote a significant amount of attention to. Loyal customers tend to spend more money than one time only customers. So, although encouraging new customers needs to be an aspect, keeping the old ones is absolutely essential. So how do you increase customer loyalty?   

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Customer service

Throw some resources into developing your customer service. If you have helpful staff who are more than willing to resolve a customer complaint and do so effectively, and in a time appropriate manner, this can actually have the effect of retaining a customer. This is due to the way you treated them. Mistakes happen; everyone knows that, but how you cope with the mistakes is how you will be defined. Ensure that your after sales service creates good customer experience, reflecting the caring image you may portray in your marketing. The whole experience is then joined up and appropriate. Customer service is a key way to increase consumer loyalty. 

Social media

Engage with your customers and develop a bond with them. If they message you, ensure you respond in a time appropriate way. Use social media to learn about your customers and how to interact better with them. Post relevant content that solves something in their lives. In order to increase loyalty, you have to be relevant and have the edge your customers are looking for. Social media gives you the ability to discover what that edge is.

Loyalty schemes, competition, and giveaways 

A loyalty card scheme is a great way to retain customers as this means that they can build points and benefit from discounts. You can also create a fun competition, like a caption competition, which can be done in-store or online on your social media accounts. Giveaways are a great way to boost loyalty. Like a freebie for your 10,000th customer, or some similar idea. There are many ways to give things away. It is up to you in how you deliver it.

Customer feedback 

Why not ask your customers what they think of your business and how you can improve? This is where previous complaints can actually prove an extremely useful tool. If you are wise and can put your feelings aside, look at the complaints. Do you have any recurring themes? This is a good way to start when it comes to improvements. Asking for feedback is a bit different. However, you still need to have tough skin. What are the recurring themes? You can respond to the feedback positively. If you can actually make changs off the back of what you have been told, this will make the customer feel that their opinion is valued. It may actually make them feel more integral to the brand and, therefore more emotionally involved, and this can increase loyalty.