Loyal customers keep your revenue flowing. They spend 67 percent more than occasional customers. Focusing on repeat business is a necessity.

More than half of all small business owners say that having a direct relationship with their customer is what drives loyalty. They know what they’re talking about! Relationships inspire customers to purchase over and over again.

Here are 5 ways to increase customer loyalty in your business:

 1. Customer service is a priority – even on social

75% of all consumers believe customer service is a reflection of how much they are valued.

Build loyal customers through fantastic customer service. What have you done for me lately? Customers evaluate your company based on every interaction with staff. How you provide solutions form their judgment call about your business.

Are you easy to deal with? When a customer waits on hold, waits for answers, calls about a defect, asks a question on social media or works with an employee to find the perfect product– they’re keeping score.

That means staff must be friendly, responsive, caring, have a sense of humour, helpful, and efficient. Your customer service team should be easy to access and able to solve problems asap, and your business should work to answer questions quickly – especially on social media.

Research shows customers want service via social media and live chat, and they expect a fast response. Forty-two percent expect a reply within an hour, and another 32 percent expect a response within 30 minutes.

2. Reward your customers

One of the most proven ways to keep customers coming back is to reward them for their loyalty. Offer discounts, gifts, and exclusive offers. Research shows that over 70% of all buyers are likely to purchase with a business that offers a loyalty program.

These loyalty programs work because customers want to feel valued and appreciated. They can choose to purchase almost anywhere, but they'll pick you when then they feel valued. Purchasing is not a small gesture. It is a sign of trust that they made the right decision. Return the favor through a loyalty program.

3. Ask for advice and listen to it

Remember when your folks gave you advice when you were younger, and you rolled your eyes, got defensive, and said, “What do they know?” Businesses that react to customer feedback, behave like some teenagers who don't want to listen to advice – especially if it's something that they don’t want to hear.

Make an effort to collect feedback from customers and listen to it. When customers complain about customer experience, fix it. Once the issue has been addressed with a new procedure, tell ALL the customers about it. Brag about real continuous improvement.

When you implement these changes in response to customer feedback, send an email detailing the improvements to every customer. It's a great way to show customers that you're not only reading their input but also acting on it.

4. Be easy and convenient

Make it easy for your customers, and they’ll keep coming back. Customer experience is key. How can you make customer experience simpler or faster? Streamline your process so customers can get in and out, answer questions on social media and live chat, rather than forcing them to call.

5. Don’t just ask for orders!

You run a business. Selling product pays the bills. We get it, but if you only connect with them when you want them to buy something, they won't be around for the long haul. Offer value in the form of expertise, education, and high-quality advice.

Consider hosting regular customer appreciation events to show gratitude, send links to helpful articles on your blog, or showcase a local charity your business supports in the monthly newsletter. The idea is to connect with your customers regularly, without regularly asking for orders. 

What’s your secret to customer loyalty? How do you get customers to become loyal? Share your tips with others in the comment section below.

In our previous blog post, we spoke about how to win back disengaged customers.