A lot has already been said about fostering the loyalty of customers, and you may already have a good idea of what to do. You can, for instance, provide customers with a rewards programme and give them points for their purchases or transactions. You can also offer exclusive sales for VIP members, offer discounts for the first 100 buyers, and so on. But there are other things you can do besides these to encourage the best loyalty from your customers. Building a mutually beneficial relationship should be at the top of your list, and so is exceeding your customers’ expectations every time they do business with you. But what else should you remember so you can reap the benefits of having truly loyal customers? Here are the top three things you can focus on to establish true customer loyalty. 

1. Build a strong bond 

Most people will only do business with a brand they trust, but how can they trust you if they don’t know you well? With too much competition nowadays, it’s more essential than ever to build a strong bond with your customers. But how? One specific way to do it would be to let them know what your vision and goals are and nurture your existing relationship with regular correspondence. 

Email marketing works for this, and you can start by welcoming your new members or subscribers with a simple yet warm email. Afterwards, keep in touch via newsletter and send this out a few times a month. The content of your newsletters can depend on what kind of business you have. If you have a restaurant, why not send out recipes? If you provide healthcare services, you can share tips for maintaining good health. If you sell clothing, offer advice on the latest fashions. 

You can get more creative (and keep your customers happy) with promotional letters, special coupons, and updates on your latest products or services. Keeping your customers in the loop will establish a stronger bond – and it will keep them interested as well.

2. Make sure you exceed your customers’ expectations 

This may be easier said than done, but it’s doable nonetheless. Think about what you can do to exceed the expectations of your customers. It pays to over-deliver, and you can do this in different ways, as a reputable customer experience consultant will tell you. For instance, if you confirm that an order will be shipped within 24 hours, make sure to ship the item within this time frame. If you would like to exceed their expectations, then ship the item in less than 24 hours. 

Here’s another example: if a person gets in touch with your business via an online form, voice message, or email, respond to them on the same day. Your customers will undoubtedly be pleasantly surprised when you exceed and go beyond their expectations, and it’s an excellent way for you to enhance their loyalty. It works like a charm. 

3. Showcase your expertise 

It doesn’t hurt to showcase your expertise either, and you can easily do this in different ways. If you operate a restaurant, for example, and a customer asks you about how you made a particular dish, you can tell them your tricks and techniques and they will consider you an expert. The same goes for uploading how-to content and videos, writing creative posts on your blog, and offering informative posts on social media. 

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