Four Ways Businesses Can Build Customer Loyalty

Businesses looking to retain customers when lower-priced competitors appear can consider how to build a stronger connection with their audience. Social Media Examiner outlines four approaches to developing loyal fans: in-person experiences, behind-the-scenes content, gamification and sharing personal passions. Each offers a different way to engage people beyond a transaction.

In-person experiences give businesses an opportunity to connect with customers directly. For marketers, this approach shifts attention from what a customer buys to the experience surrounding the interaction. When considering an in-person activity, a useful starting point is to identify how it relates to the business and why customers would want to take part.

Behind-the-scenes content offers another way to communicate with an audience. Rather than focusing solely on a finished product or promotion, marketers can consider showing aspects of the business that customers would not otherwise see. The approach can be used to make the people and processes behind a business part of its communications, while keeping the material relevant to the audience.

Gamification is the third approach highlighted in the article. It introduces elements associated with games into customer engagement. For marketers considering this route, the task is to decide what kind of participation they want to encourage and how the activity connects to the customer relationship. The focus is not only on gaining attention but also on giving people a reason to engage.

The fourth approach draws on personal passions. Sharing interests that matter to the people behind a business can provide another subject for communication with customers. Marketers can consider which passions are appropriate to share and how they fit the business’s existing voice. This approach differs from a product-focused message by putting more emphasis on the people associated with the brand.

What this means for marketers

The four approaches offer options for engaging customers in person and through content or activities. Marketers can assess which ones suit their audience and resources, then develop communications around the customer experience rather than relying on price alone. The source presents these as fan-building approaches, not as a guarantee that customers will remain loyal.