Gaining new customers is one of the most challenging processes in any business. Keeping them happy and ensuring repeated business from them can even be harder. According to a CEI Survey, 86% of buyers will pay more for a better customer experience, but only 1% of customers feel that vendors consistently meet their expectations.

It is human nature to always want more and when combined with the short attention spans of consumers these days, businesses can easily be forgotten if they fail to engage enough. Spending the right amount of time and money on retention can significantly reduce the cost of customer acquisition for businesses.

Here are 3 simple and effective ways to win your customer’s loyalty:

1. 1. Keep in touch with your customers – Social media platforms, blogs and newsletters have streamlined the process of staying in touch but they are also great tools for customer service. Nothing beats the speed of a tweet in addressing the complaints or concerns of  an unsatisfied customer. Listening and engaging in real time lets customers know that there is an actual person on the other side of the computer screen who cares and wants to make sure their experience is a good one.
2. 2. Host offline events – As much as the internet has helped speed communications and allowed efficient ecommerce, nothing builds trust faster than face to face interaction. Hosting in-person events like holiday parties and milestone celebrations offers a way for customers to interact not only with you as the business, but also with other customers and fans. The best thing is that you don’t have to break the bank to host these events. You can be as simple or as lavish as you wish, just make sure to provide the music.
3. 3. Give stuff away and make it fun – Everyone appreciates a free prize but too much of a good thing can turn sour. By making a loyalty program similar to a game, customers are more engaged because they feel like they have a better chance of winning. For example, instead of asking customers to sign up to win one big grand prize, you can give the option of a free dessert on every third meal they order. By providing consistent prizes, you increase the chances of more people signing up. It is also more cost effective to give away smaller, regular prizes rather than a few big ones that are few and far between.

Being tactical and staying ahead of your particular industry on the customer loyalty front is good, but it is not a crutch for the long-term strategy of providing excellent quality and practicing good business ethics. Consider loyalty programs as a way to break out of plateaus when customer engagement stagnates or when you see a drop in conversions or overall site visits.

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