Being honest, engaging with your customers, and providing great service are the right things to do as business owner. These principles are also at the foundation of companies who have created deep customer loyalty and benefited from their ‘super users.’
If you’re using the Hourglass Funnel, you know the importance of ‘super users.’ This type of customer loyalty that will help you grow your business, as they help you sell your products and provide a consistent source of motivated leads.
There are so many customer loyalty building tactics out there though. Unfortunately, most are terribly outdated or just noise cluttering the effective tactics. We busted through that noise found seven powerful tactics you can start using now to take your loyal customers to ‘super user’ status!
1. Solve Their Biggest Problems
On average, loyal customers are worth up to 10x as much as their first purchase. Source
Wouldn’t it be great if you could create a way for customers to rely on you more than just your products and services? If you solve their biggest problems in a way no one else is, that could become a reality.
Consider what your repeat customer’s biggest concern or headache is and figure out how you can make it easier. Then create it! Take, for example, Neil Patel’s Quick Sprout website analyzer:
As a SEO guru, he’s helped countless people optimize their sites with his articles and webinars. He took his specialized knowledge one step further though, further than all of his competition at that, and built a free website analyzer. His customers now have an easy resource that they can use often to solve some of their SEO headaches, for free.
2. Say ‘Thanks’ with an Upgrade
Remember that the lifetime value of a customer easily increases when you tend to and reward their loyalty. The upfront cost is tiny compared to the impact with your most loyal customers and motivated leads they will send to you.
It’s the most engaged and responsive customers that you want to upgrade. Go ahead, give them the full premium service experience! As they become more loyal using your products or services, their personal testimonials will become powerful recommendations for your reputation and brand.
3. Offer Rewards for Their Referrals
Speaking of referrals; this is another wildly effective tactic to make the most out of your loyal customers. Referral rewards or programs are quite common and there’s dozens of versions but it comes down to finding one to match your sales, products/services, and industry.
They usually reward a single, multiple, or lifetime referral from a loyal customer. When consumers become loyal to a brand they can become a great advocate for that company, sharing the great experiences with their friends and colleagues. Reward and thank them for saving you for all that extra money and time you might have been spent on lead generation.
4. Improve by Asking for Their Suggestions or Feedback
97% of consumers said they are somewhat likely to become more loyal to a company that implements their feedback. Source
Your most loyal customers and ‘super users’ should be vocal, excited, and interested in your products or services and what you have next. They’re also the perfect group to ask for suggestions or feedback in your content or products.
If one of your customers comes up with a great idea or suggestion, share it with all of your marketing channels. Follow-up with a customized message to extend a ‘thank you.’ Customers appreciate when companies know who they are and their appreciation will take your business far.
5. ‘Show-Off’ Your Most Loyal Customers
Showing-off your most loyal customers is a surefire way to take them to ‘super-user’ status. Engage with contests or questions and show off your most active customers in emails or on social media. You could even create a campaign that will set you up with a steady stream of content for your blog or social media.
This tactic most importantly brings with it the power of reciprocity and a guarantee they’ll make your business a priority. Even simply acknowledging and thanking your customers when they share your content or services on social media can go a long in creating loyal customers.
6. Charge Upfront for VIP Status
Take a look at Amazon This is exactly how their Prime program works. Many of their consumers are more than willing to pay a yearly fee for unlimited free two-day shipping, video and music streaming, and a whole assortment of other perks.
If your business has frequent and/or repeat purchases, a system that models Amazon’s could have customers paying you to be loyal. Work out a system where the common purchases are bypassed and a customer loyalty program is offered upfront for a fee.
7. Get Involved with a Charity or in Your Community
89% of American consumers say they are loyal to brands that share their values. Source
Last but not least, this is one of the most time-tested and reliable methods for building customer loyalty. Especially powerful for local or small businesses, getting involved in a charity, cause, or giving back to your community can be a great public statement of your values.
Acknowledging, rewarding, and engaging with your most loyal customers is an effective way to continue the growth of your business at any stage. Remember, the upfront cost to you is minuscule when compared to the lifetime value of their loyalty and advocacy.
Be innovative, and experiment with these simple customer loyalty tactics! Both you and your customers will be happy with results.
Have you created bonuses or ‘thank you’ upgrades for your loyal customers? What do other companies do for you as a loyal customer? Let us know in the comments!
Read more: Loyalty-Driving Tactics for Better B2B Customer Retention