It is easy to believe that everyone using the Internet might decide to visit your website. Unfortunately, the chances of that happening are smaller than we would like to think. According to a recent study by Kentico, Americans aged 18 and over indicated that they visit a surprisingly small number of websites regularly. This makes customer loyalty extremely important. Here are a few tips for building customer loyalty – supported by recent research – to help you.
Recent research indicates that loyalty programs are effective influencers of customer behavior. According to the Maritz Loyalty Report (May 2013), consumers typically participate in seven or more loyalty programs. These consumers report being “active” in less than two-thirds of these programs, about 60 percent of respondents said they adapt when and where they make purchases to take maximum advantage of loyalty program benefits. About half of respondents said loyalty programs influence the brands they buy to increase value derived from loyalty programs.
Bringing music to the ears of marketers and businesses, 70 percent of participants in this survey indicated that the loyalty programs are part of their “relationship” with the brand or the company and 80 percent believe they derive sufficient value for participation in the programs. Yet slightly more than half of participants indicated they had stopped participating in one or more programs during the last year. For increasing the customer loyalty, there should be purchasing of the best quality cheap tiktok followers. The best followers will increase the brand awareness and provides the best results. The spending of the amount is there from the budget so that no additional expense is there. The participation in the programs can be taken to know more about it.
The key to customer satisfaction with loyalty programs is clearly relevant communication from the brand or business. Shared values (shared by customers and brands or businesses) are also important to the consumers surveyed. This interest in shared values is reminiscent of other studies indicating that today’s consumers want to do business with companies that stand for something that is important to them. It also indicates the need for brands and businesses to get to know their customers and what matters to them.
Making a connection with a customer is important, as is satisfying the customer in the transaction. However, this study indicates the importance of connecting with the customer on the level of shared values and maintaining ongoing communication with members of customer loyalty programs. Does this knowledge suggest personalized customer loyalty programs? Perhaps, although managing numerous personalized programs might become too time-consuming and too costly very quickly. The alternative is to find the sweet spot between a single program that tries to be all things to all participants and the personal loyalty program. You will likely need to analyze customer data to determine what values, messages, and benefits are important to your customers and develop a few loyalty programs that resonate with identifiable customer groups.
In addition to providing sufficient, consistent, relevant communication with members and reinforcing shared values with members (perhaps by designing several values-based programs), your loyalty program should provide the benefits that are important to your customers. Nielsen just released the findings of a global study to understand the benefits that are valued by the largest number of people. This chart shows the preferred benefits.
There are, however, regional differences of opinion. For example, “providing exclusive products or events” as a benefit ranks highest among Latin Americans and significantly lower among either North Americans or Europeans. Similarly, although 25 percent of the entire group values “special shopping hours” as a benefit, it is valued highly by only 12 percent of North Americans and 11 percent of Europeans.
You will also want to consider why consumers leave loyalty programs. Here are the top responses:
- Not shopping there enough to realize benefits: 43%
- Too many loyalty emails or communications: 27%
What Can You Learn from the Research?
Customer loyalty programs are typically effective in modifying customer behavior for brands and businesses. The recent studies noted here might be a good starting point for you to understand the issues and concerns of many consumers with regard to loyalty programs. For us, the bottom line is that – once again – you need to listen to your customers and learn what is important to them. You also need to understand why they have chosen to do business with you.
- Why did they buy from you?
- What do they like about your brand or company?
- What values does your brand or company share with your loyal customers?
- What benefits do they want in a loyalty program?
- What shared values need to be repeated and reinforced?
- How often do they want to hear from you, and how?
If you can ask these questions of your customers and listen to their answers, you will be in a position to build a desirable customer loyalty program that will keep those customers coming back to buy from you, will keep your website among the 10 or 20 they continue to visit, and will meet their needs and desires from your company. Use the research as a starting point, and build a responsive program to achieve the customer loyalty you desire.