5 Tips to Increase Sales With Brand Loyalty

What is Brand Loyalty?

You'll find many definitions for brand loyalty, but I think Wikipedia hit the nail on the head with this definition, "Brand loyalty describes a consumer's positive feelings towards a brand, and their dedication to purchasing the brand's products and/or services repeatedly, regardless of deficiencies, a competitor's actions, or changes in the environment. It can also be demonstrated with other behaviors such as positive word-of-mouth advocacy." A vital part of that definition is "…regardless of deficiencies, a competitor's actions, or changes in the environment."

While customer Loyalty is loyalty to a product (typically based on pricing, discounts, quality of product, and customer service), the golden ticket for any business is brand loyalty - loyalty to a brand (based on feelings/emotions).

Apple is an excellent example of a company that has created brand loyalty. The company has consistently maintained its brand since its inception fifty years ago. You probably know someone who would never think of buying a PC instead of a Mac or an android phone instead of an iPhone (regardless of price or functions). "By creating an emotional connection with its customers, Apple has done the near-impossible – it has acquired a loyal following," Forbes states. "Brand loyalty has played a huge part in its global success. There's no doubt about that."

How Do You Build Brand Loyalty?

#1. Create a Great Brand

The first step to building brand loyalty is to create a great brand. Here's how:

• Create a buyer persona – a detailed description of someone representing your target audience.
• Develop a value proposition that tells prospects why they should do business with you rather than your competitors and makes the benefits of your products or services crystal clear from the outset.
• Create a mission statement that explains the purpose of your organization.
• Create a vision statement that describes where you want your business to be in five, ten, or twenty years and helps keep you focused on the long-term plan.
• Determine your brand personality
• Create brand assets and integrate them into all your marketing efforts.

#2. Build Relationships

"As a small business owner, you have an advantage when it comes to building customer rapport," Entrepreneur states. "The size of your company allows you to reach people at a more personal level than big businesses, which turns into stronger relationships with customers."

Here's how to build strong customer relationships:

• Communicate – Don't just tell your customers about your business, have conversations with them. Discover their needs by listening to them and show how your product or service can accommodate those needs or solve their problem.
• Exceed Expectations – Under promise and over-deliver.
• Ask for Feedback – the good, the bad, and the ugly. You need to understand your customers' needs. Therefore, it's essential to know what you're doing right, so you can continue doing it and what you're doing wrong to change it.
• Show Appreciation – Reward loyal customers with rewards or a loyalty program because 75% of consumers say they favor companies that offer rewards.

#3. Build a Community

Building a community takes building relationships to the next level by allowing your loyal customers to feel as if they are part of an exclusive community.

Here's how to build a community:

• Respond to messages on social media
• Encourage engagement on social media
• Create an e-newsletter
• Create a private group on social media
• Start a blog

#4. Personalize

"Consumers have come to expect that same level of personalization from companies of all sizes," Forbes reports. "Investing in personalization efforts to build relationships and create better experiences can pay off with serious rewards for brands."

Here are a few reasons why:

• 91% of consumers say they are more likely to shop with brands that provide offers and relevant recommendations.
• 72% of consumers say they only engage with personalized messaging.
• 80% of frequent shoppers only shop with brands that personalize the experience.

There are many ways to personalize your marketing, such as using marketing automation tools, segmenting your email contact list, using your customers' names in emails, and creating targeted landing pages. 

#5: Work With an Experienced Marketing Company

Simply running a business takes lots of time, and many small to medium-sized companies find they don't have time to market their business as they should, which is where PMI comes in. Our mission is to help you grow your business, and we do that by helping you get found, impress your viewers, engage your leads, and convert them to customers.

Give us a call at 484-297-6395, or contact us online for a FREE consultation.