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5 Methods for Encouraging Customer Loyalty In Your Client Base

Acquiring new leads and customers is certainly important, but without repeat customers who endorse your company and support you with their purchases, your business will likely fall short of its potential. Customer loyalty is built through effective follow-up that creates sincere and meaningful relationships with your customers.

Here are five effective methods for providing that critical personal touch and generating strong customer loyalty.

  1. Keep customers informed – Let your customers know about your business and how your product and service offerings can help them. Produce a newsletter or greeting card series that can be mailed or e-mailed to customers regularly. Make sure your website contains plenty of information about what you’re doing to help your customers with their problems. If you’ve handled a business matter for your customers, call them and let them know.
  2. Put pen to paper – A handwritten note of appreciation is a powerful way to build customer loyalty. Your customers will appreciate the fact that you’ve taken the time to get in touch with them and are likely to be favorably impressed by the effort a handwritten note represents.
  3. Talk to your customers – Pick up the phone and give your customers a call. Keep trying until you have the chance to speak with them directly. When valued customers are in your store or facility, make the time to chat with them briefly and ask if there’s anything you can do for them.
  4. Remember important occasions – Turn to your customer database to remind you of customer birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates. Send personalized cards or letters in conjunction with these occasions. Following up with customers on the anniversary of significant purchases is also a good idea.
  5. Pass on useful material – Know your customers’ personal interests and fields of business. When you see an article, white paper, website or other source of information that would interest your customers, let them know. Scan and e-mail them the article, along with a brief note, or refer them to the online source you’ve found.

Are you maintaining enough personal contact to build customer loyalty? Are there other ways you could build stronger ties with your existing client base?

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