6 key ways for local businesses to retain customers
One of the most critical factors in any local business success is customer loyalty. Maintaining a loyal customer following can help you grow your business in ways that most traditional sales can't. Building customer loyalty is essential in cultivating relationships with new and old customers. It also increases the chances of turning one-time buyers into repeat customers. For small businesses, customer loyalty is a crucial factor in success.
Did you know:
By boosting customer retention 5% you will increase your profits by 25-95%.
It costs 6x to 7x more to acquire new customers than to retain existing ones.
In this blog post, we will be discussing 6 of the most practical tips for building a loyal customer base. From delivering quality customer service to creating loyalty programs we’ve got you covered.
1. Deliver Quality Products and Services:
Delivering high-quality products and services is essential for building customer loyalty and retaining clients. Customers are naturally drawn towards businesses that provide them with products and services that meet their expectations and satisfy their needs. As a business owner, you can ensure that your customers keep coming back by offering them products and services that are of the highest quality. Delivering on this promise not only helps to build trust with your customers but also establishes you as a reliable and trustworthy business.
For example, take a local plumber. As a local plumber, retaining clients and building a loyal customer base can be the difference between a successful business and one that struggles to survive. One way to ensure that your clients keep coming back is to offer a premium service that goes above and beyond what they would expect from a typical plumbing service. This could include services like 24-hour emergency response times, free inspections of your gas heating in winter and your air con in summer. Personalised customer care and more. By prioritising your clients' needs and providing a level of service that exceeds their expectations, you will naturally encourage them to become repeat customers and advocates for your business.
2. Team work
Having a strong team is fundamental to promoting customer loyalty. A well-coordinated, efficient, and committed team can significantly enhance the customer experience. Each interaction a customer has with your team is an opportunity to foster trust, demonstrate value, and build lasting relationships. When customers feel understood, valued, and respected, they are more likely to remain loyal to your brand. A strong team can not only efficiently resolve issues but proactively anticipate customer needs, provide personalized service, and exceed expectations. This level of service excellence leads to repeat business, positive word-of-mouth, and ultimately, a loyal customer base.
3. Consistency across communication channels:
One thing customers like is a business that is consistent in the way they handle them across different touchpoints. Whether it's in-person, on the phone, email, social media or on Google, the business should communicate the same feel and tone. When engaging with your customers, try to keep your branding design consistent and use the same tone of voice and language, so clients always make a connection with your brand.
When running a boutique hotel, retaining clients and creating loyal customers is key to success. One way to do this is by maintaining consistency across all channels of communication. This means that whether a customer is calling to make a reservation, sending an email inquiry, or interacting with the hotel on social media, they should receive the same level of service and attention. By using the same tone and language across all platforms, customers will recognise and connect with the brand, building trust and loyalty over time. Consistency is not only important for businesses to maintain their image but also for ensuring that customers come back again and again.
4. Be authentic and personalise:
Establishing a genuine, personal connection with your customers can go a long way in building their loyalty to your brand. By taking the time to get to know them both online and in person, you can gain valuable insight into their unique preferences and needs. This allows you to tailor your approach to better meet their expectations, which in turn makes them feel valued and appreciated. When customers feel like they have a real connection with a local business, they are more likely to remain loyal and continue doing business with them long-term. Investing in personalisation and authenticity is a smart way to not only attract new clients, but also retain the ones you already have.
A local accountancy firm can use personalisation to retain clients and build loyal customers. By taking the time to get to know each client on a personal level, the firm can understand their unique needs and create tailored solutions that meet their requirements. Whether it's by holding face-to-face meetings or engaging with them online, personalised communication can help to forge a deeper connection between the firm and its clients.
5. Invite feedback and respond promptly:
A great way to build customer loyalty is by getting their feedback. Your customers are the best source of feedback about your business products and services. This feedback can help you shape your offerings and improve customer experience. You should also respond to every feedback, either positive or negative. Responding promptly shows that you value their opinions and it can go a long way in building customer loyalty.
6. Develop a loyalty program:
A loyalty scheme can help you retain customers for the long term. It's a great way to promote continued engagement and reward customers for their loyalty. You can offer exclusive giveaways, previews, early access to products, and event invites. It would help your business generate more sales and provide loyal customers with the added value.
For example, take a local hairdresser, loyalty programs are a great way to retain clients and reward their most loyal customers. Some popular examples of loyalty programs in the hairdressing industry include referral rewards, discounts on future services, and VIP membership programs. Referral rewards give customers the opportunity to earn discounts on their next service by referring new clients to the salon. Discounts on future services can be given to clients who have been coming to the salon for a certain amount of time or have spent a certain amount of money. VIP membership programs offer exclusive perks to loyal customers, such as early access to appointments, discounted services and products, and invitations to VIP events. These loyalty programs not only incentivise customers to keep coming back but also create a strong sense of community within the salon.
Create customer loyalty
In conclusion, providing quality products and services, teamwork, consistency across all communication channels, being authentic and personalising customer experience,inviting feedback, and developing a loyalty program are just some of the ways that local businesses can retain their customers. Businesses need to ensure they’re always putting their customers first as this is key to building relationships and trust with them. It is important for local businesses to move away from a one-off sales approach and nurture long-term relationships with their clients. Furthermore, understanding the needs of your customer will help determine if your customers stay with you or not. With these six tips in mind to win over new customers as well as keep existing ones engaged, local businesses should be able to successfully increase sales while developing strong relationships with their customer base. If you want to learn more on how you can grow and succeed in your business journey ahead then make sure you read more of our insights on how to grow your local business!
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This post is one of many aimed at helping to support owners, managers and franchisees with growing their local business. It's been lovingly researched and written by the expert team behind LocalMark, a London UK-based local SEO service that helps connect UK trade, service & retail businesses with nearby customers. If you found this helpful and could benefit from more of the same, be sure to share, follow us on social and sign up for our newsletter (links below).