Bringing in customers is fantastic, but it’s only the first step. The only way for your business to grow is if you’re able to build a loyal fan base that keeps coming back. The White House Office of Consumer Affairs put out a study stating that it costs six to seven times more to draw in new customers than retain your current consumer base. Harvard Business Review gives you another thing to consider- increasing customer retention by just five percent can make profits go up by 25 percent to 95 percent. To create loyalty, merchants need to give their users a satisfying emotional experience by engaging users at every step of their journey. Building loyalty has to go far beyond mere customer satisfaction, however. Here are some ways that e-commerce merchants can engage users at every touchpoint and generate loyal customers through comprehensive engagement from all angles.

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Ways Ecommerce Merchants Can Engage Their Customers

Enroll Customers In A Loyalty Program 

An optimal customer loyalty program is one of the most compelling strategies for customer retention. That means it’s essential for modern businesses to have a loyalty program in place to sustain growth. Gartner released research stating that bringing in new customers will cost your company five times as much as continuing to keep a customer you already have. A point-based loyalty program will not only raise in-store purchases; it will also help with online conversions. It’s straightforward to integrate with your website, social media channels, and email marketing to provide holistic customer engagement. One of the leading sports nutrition companies, Predator Nutrition, has effectively integrated a loyalty program within its core marketing strategy and multiply its average order value by an entire third. A comprehensive engagement model has been implemented by the brand to reward customers points not just for purchases, but also for subscribing to newsletters, referrals, writing reviews, and engaging with the brand on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. 

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Engage With Customers Through Social Channels

The rise of social media has created a significant opportunity for brands to connect with and win over customers. Studies show that 72 percent of consumers feel social media allows them to be more engaged with brands. Top social networks such as Facebook and Twitter provide engaging ways to respond to customer complaint requests on the go and to guarantee customer satisfaction and loyalty. Creating incentives for various social engagements like tweeting, sharing, liking, and commenting will help teach customer loyalty with brands. Through giving out points for social activities, you can create a great way to engage users regularly. One company that’s been tremendous at creating a customer experience through social media is Starbucks. The brand emphasizes growing relationships with its customers through social channels. Starbucks buoys users to share good experiences and leverages social listening to offer an unmatched customer experience, thus establishing deep-rooted brand loyalty with its customers. 

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Delight The Customer With Personalized Presents

Remembering the customers’ special days is essential! Customers who receive personalized merchandise and attention from a company they did business with will think more highly of that company. You can incentivize customers with personalized presents (which you can order from us!) like printed t-shirts, mugs, and bags when they opt into your loyalty program. Include their select dates like birthdays in the information you ask for when they sign up for your loyalty program and reward them with bonus loyalty points and gifts for their birthday! Birthday emails are also a great way to make your customers feel special without being too naggy. Macy’s is a company that does this well- they send a thoughtful email to their subscribers and an offer such as “Free Shipping” to persuade them to take action. Delighting your customers with gifts and notes on their special occasions will keep you in their mind, in the fondest way!

Inspire Customers Through Referrals To Become Brand Ambassadors

According to a Nielsen study, advice from family and friends is the most significant influence on respondents’ buying decisions. Get to know the customers who already promote you. There are plenty of ways to do so, and you can recruit your customers through many different channels. Generating key incentives for your loyalty program through points for referrals is a good idea. Word-of-mouth recommendations are another great way to gain brand ambassadors. Encourage your website visitors to share events and products with their family and friends through social channels, offer incentives, and create loyal brand advocates. 

Support Seamless, Omni-Channel Customer Experiences

It’s not just an option to have an omnichannel customer experience, but a necessity. An Exolevel Seamless Retail Study reported that 89 percent of respondents expected retailers to allow them to shop for products through a channel they found convenient. Today’s key driver of customer loyalty is to engage consumers with a precise message at the right time on the right track. Classic examples of successful omnichannel retailing embrace a customer-centric approach to compete with ecommerce merchants by standing out with superior customer experience. Merging in-store and digital operations to provide your customers with a seamless omnichannel experience is vital. One successful initiative successful retailers have utilized is to allow customers to “click and collect” by requesting an in-store pickup, thus dramatically reducing the number of clicks necessary to purchase online, turning stores into distribution warehouses for online purchases aligning pricing on all channels. 

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While turning consumers into loyal customers is getting more and more complex as customer touch points multiply, a 360-degree engagement with them at those touch points is crucial. Your business should pinpoint those touch points, weave them into the overall customer journey, and then see your conversions climb! 1338 Tryon provides branded merchandise, recognition programs, marketing asset programs, and global sourcing to grow your business. Work with us to help your business reach its full potential. 

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