Winning loyal customers can be challenging when many ecommerce websites offer the same or similar products. However, studies have shown that engaged customers are likely to spend more than 50% more than new customers on each purchase.
The question is, though, how do you turn one-time visitors into loyal customers and brand advocates? Here are ten tips to help you get visitors to your ecommerce site to love your brand and become loyal customers.
1. Be Authentic
Consider what people will think when they first visit your ecommerce Store. Are visitors to your site going to be impressed by your integrity and honesty? Or are people merely going to see yet another website hard-selling low-quality products? Studies have found that more than 90% of consumers are more likely to buy from an authentic brand than a potentially dishonest one. So, try to keep the message genuine and avoid overselling your products.
2. Offer No-Quibble Exchanges and Returns
Sometimes people change their minds, and sometimes they misread product descriptions and don’t receive what they thought they were buying. So, the ability to return unwanted products is a crucial feature of an ecommerce site. Offering hassle-free returns and exchanges generates trust in your brand by suggesting that you have confidence in your products. The ability to return products also takes the risk out of purchasing products on your eCommerce site.
3. Don’t Compromise on Quality
Quality is relative. However, it will help if you always deliver on your promises. Even if you are selling heavily discounted products, your customers will still expect value for money. It only takes one bad experience to put a consumer off a brand for life. So, quality control is a must in ecommerce if you want to generate customer loyalty. Set realistic expectations of your products in your product descriptions and images. Use genuine product photos, for example, and avoid over-hyped product descriptions. Customers who are pleasantly surprised by what they receive will probably come back for more.
4. Reach Out to Customers on Multiple Channels
The more you engage with your customers, the more loyal they will become. So, don’t make the only contact you have with your customers the promotional emails you send. Instead, share useful and informative content on social media channels. Participate in online forums that your customers are likely to visit, and generate shareable content like tutorials, tips and guides, and interactive media like competitions with prizes. Generate the feeling of a community around your brand, and you will be rewarded with customer loyalty and referrals.
5. Let Customers Know You Listen
Customers want their voices to be heard. So, respond to complaints and criticisms and act when customers raise issues with you. When you correct problems or improve your service, let customers know what steps you have taken. Mistakes are inevitable, and not all your products will live up to the customer’s expectations. However, if you ask for customer feedback and act on it, you will increase customer loyalty to your brand in the long run.
6. Welcome All New Customers
Personalization is key to generating customer loyalty on an ecommerce website. The best way to begin personalizing your service is to give each of your new customers a personalized and warm welcome when they first interact with your site. When someone subscribes to your mailing list or makes their first purchase, send them a genuine sounding thank you and introductory email. For maximum benefit, it is best to address the customer by name, and have the welcome message sent by someone like the founder of the site or the chief executive officer (CEO). Express your gratitude for the person joining your site, and let the new customer know where to go or who to contact should they need any assistance.
7. Start a Loyalty Program
Point-based loyalty programs are an easy way to generate customer loyalty. As customers buy more from you, they can see their reward points building up, so there is a tangible benefit of staying loyal to your brand. And, of course, when customers come to redeem their reward points, they will likely spend more money with you. Creating a loyalty program is relatively inexpensive and straightforward. If you are using WooCommerce, you can use plugins like WooRewards and SUMO Reward Points. You can also offer incentives like free shipping and gifts to encourage people to join your loyalty program.
8. Send Regular Personalized Communication
As mentioned, personalization generates loyalty, and giving your customs a personalized experience doesn’t end after the welcome message. It is best to keep in touch with customers with regular emails to maintain a human connection. Segment your mailing list so you can send targeted emails and address your customers by name. Celebrate important dates, like customer’s birthdays and anniversaries, to increase the personal connection further. Remember to send a follow-up email after each purchase, too. Thank customers for placing an order and ask them for their feedback.
9. Demonstrate Social Responsibility
Consumers like to know that the brands they support have similar beliefs and values to their own. Demonstrating that your business’s values align with your customers’ will help establish long-term relationships. If you sell recyclable products, for example, your efforts to be a sustainable business will resonate with your customers. Donations to a worthy cause will also create a connection with customers in some niches.
10. Provide Exceptional Customer Service
Ensure that the customer experience on your ecommerce site is as efficient and stress-free as possible. From placing an order to timely delivery, your customers will be judging your business on the service you provide as much as your products’ quality. When you are competing in a crowded market, your customer service will set you apart from your competition. So, make service your priority if you want to encourage repeat business and gain referrals.
A loyal customer base will provide you with a steady and reliable income stream from your ecommerce site. And existing satisfied customers are always easier to sell to the more sceptical first-time customers. So, be genuine, demonstrate that you care, provide an excellent customer experience, and customers will reward your efforts with their loyalty.
