How to Build Brand Loyalty in a Competitive Industry

In a competitive industry, loyalty can be what makes the difference between success and failure. Marketing is great, fantastic products are a must, but if there are many other stores doing the same as you, you need something to set you apart, to make your store the one consumers think of first and choose over the others. Fortunately, loyalty doesn’t need to be hard to achieve.  Keep reading to find out more.

Engagement

There’s nothing quite like building a relationship with your customers to increase loyalty. Speak to them, ask for their opinions, and reply to any emails or comments online. You can’t please everyone, and it would be a mistake to try, but honesty goes a long way. People respect honesty, even when something goes wrong.

Live Reviews

Allowing live reviews on your website shows that you have trust in your products. And, this means that customer’s faith in you and your products will immediately increase. Yes, there might be some negative feedback, but as long as you reply, and do your best to resolve any issues, it won’t hurt your loyalty.

A Great Website

Having a slow, unresponsive website will put people off. As well as implying that you aren’t up to date with modern technology and sales strategies, most users will get bored of waiting. E-commerce shopping has grown so much over the last few years. Customers expect a fantastic website, that works equally well across all platforms. Make sure your e-commerce store is one of the best. Use weaveability.com to help you get there.

Consistency

Consistency is key to loyalty. People will notice. Make sure all your products and services are branded to the same great standard. Any updates to your website need to offer the same, or better, performance. Your communication with both customers and suppliers should always be professional and friendly.

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Great Customer Service

Customer service isn’t just about selling things and smiling at people. It’s about going out of your way to help people. Taking an interest in your customers is a great place to start; build real relationships with them and know what you can do to help them.

First Impressions

First impressions really do count. Whether you have a brick and mortar store, or an e-commerce site, the first impression is equally important. Fresh, exciting branding, a clean and tidy appearance, as well as great products and helpful staff are great ways to show yourself off and create a positive impression.

Reward Loyalty

Rewarding loyalty is a great way to keep people coming back, but also to increase word of mouth marketing. Run special offers for your regular customers. Something simple like a loyalty card works really well. The reward doesn’t have to be huge, even something small can make your customers feel special and valued. Other small gestures such as Christmas and birthday cards are a thoughtful offering.

Look at all of these points to help build loyalty in your brand. This is especially important if you run a small e-commerce store. While you might not be able to compete in terms of things like sales and special offers, you are in a better position to offer your customers a unique and personal experience.