Customer Loyalty: 10 Easy Ways to Show Your Customers Appreciation
Showing your customers appreciation is one of the most essential parts of running an e-commerce business.
The more you show your customers that they're appreciated, the more likely they are to come back and spend more money with you.
Why?
Because happy people spend more money!
Not to mention, 57% of consumers will spend more money on brands that have earned their loyalty. The Harvard Business Review found that people who felt valued spent twice as much money as people who did not feel valued.
In addition, a study done by the University of Chicago and Northwestern University found that when customers feel appreciated and respected, they are more likely to purchase from companies with higher prices than those with lower prices.
In other words, when you show your customers how much you value them, they'll be willing to pay more for what you offer.
Now, I'll show you how to show appreciation for your customers because there's more than one way to do this. 👇
The significance of showing your customers
appreciation 🙏
As an e-commerce store owner, you know your customers are important to your business. In addition, customer appreciation drives brand loyalty.
It's a simple equation: When you treat your customers well, they'll stick with you.
We all know this to be accurate; however, many businesses fail to grasp why it's essential to show their customers that they care about them.
How should we define customer appreciation?
Customer appreciation is "showing gratitude towards a customer for their patronage." So what does this mean? How can you show your customers that they are appreciated?
Here are three steps to get started:
1) Be kind and courteous.
2) Be consistent with your service delivery.
3) Show empathy towards their needs.
Moreover, brand loyalty is a powerful force. It keeps people returning to the same brand, even if they know another product is a better fit for their needs.
That kind of loyalty is hard to earn and easy to lose—and companies that don't focus on it are missing out on the opportunity to create loyal customers who will keep coming back for more.
However, brand loyalty isn't just about retaining customers and making them happy.
It's also about increasing profits.
Loyal customers tend to buy more from a brand than new customers because they're already familiar with it and have confidence in its quality.
So, by simply ensuring you implement specific strategies to show your customers appreciation, you can sell more products, get more referrals, and spend less time convincing people that your product is worth buying relative to your competitors.
Here are ten ways to show your customers appreciation:
Designate a day or a week that is devoted to customer appreciation. 🗓️
When you're a small business, you rely on your customers. They are the lifeblood of your company and the reason you get up in the morning. So why not show them how much they mean to you?
I recommend designating one day or week as "customer appreciation" week. This gives you a chance to "thank you for all the support and love our clients have given us over the last year."
It's also a great way to introduce new people to your products or services, so they can see what makes your e-commerce brand unique.
Send a small gift that your customers would use. 🎁
The best way to show appreciation is by giving them a gift. When you're looking for a way to show your customers you appreciate them, it's important to remember that the best gifts are ones that are useful, functional, and fun.
If your customers are like most people, they don't want to receive something that doesn't fit within their budget or their lifestyle.
For instance, if you send them a gift certificate for dinner at a restaurant that costs $200 per person, they may feel obligated to use it—but chances are they won't want to go there.
The same goes for a spa day or some other luxury service: If your audience is made up of busy professionals who have little time for such extravagances, sending them something like this will likely make them feel guilty, not grateful.
Instead, think about what your customers would want or need—and make sure you don't give them anything they don't want or need.
However, if you sell ice cream, the only option is to give away free ice cream for a year! (If you want. 😋) 🍨
One good option is to offer them a choice of gifts, i.e., the Sephora model.
Upgrade free shipping to two-day shipping for free.
If you have the resources to offer free shipping, research has shown that 9 out of 10 customers will be more willing to buy from you. Also, you can offer an even better deal by upgrading your free shipping tier to two-day delivery at no cost to the customer.
In another study, 48% of respondents said they would shop more to get free shipping. And, setting up a protocol around what qualifies as "free shipping" instead of "two-day delivery" could work for both sides of your business: Happy customers and happy profits.
Offer a tiered customer loyalty program like Sephora.
Every customer is different, and it's essential to know who you're targeting with your marketing efforts. It would help if you found out their needs, what they prefer, and how you can cater to them.
Once you have that information in hand, it'll be easier for you to show your customers that not only do you care about them but also the value of their loyalty.
One great example would be Sephora's loyalty program. They have several tiers of rewards, (Insider, VIB, and Rouge), including a free birthday gift and free shipping on orders over $25 (as well as some other perks).
This helps them show appreciation for all types of shoppers—the ones who spend more money are recognized for their contributions, while those who spend less still receive some form of thanks from Sephora.
Partner with people or other businesses that your customers value.
Partnerships can be a great way to boost your e-commerce business—but only if you're partnering with the right people.
Also, partnering with other companies means building relationships with people who share similar values and goals; this helps strengthen trust between both parties so that there's more incentive for each side to continue working together.
As a result, you can improve your brand image by forging partnerships with other brands that your current customers already trust.
Create a customer survey that gives new customers a discount on their next order.
Customers are more likely to fill out your surveys if you offer them an incentive. In this case, it's a discount on their next order from your store.
It's a win-win situation: You get feedback from the customer and they enjoy saving money on future purchases. When setting up this kind of offer, be sure to include information about how to redeem the coupon code in the survey itself (so there's no confusion).
Moreover, make sure that the coupon code is only applicable to products sold by your e-commerce store so as not to confuse customers with other retailers offering similar incentives through different channels (such as an email marketing campaign).
Give a thank you discount.
A simple, yet effective, way to show your customers that you appreciate their business is by giving them a discount on their next purchase. This could be in the form of a percentage off or a specific dollar amount.
Create a discount that is relevant to your customer’s purchase history.
You can also use this strategy when promoting product launches, new collections, or other seasonal promotions where increased traffic and sales are expected (i.e., Black Friday).
It's always good practice to offer something extra during the shopping frenzy.
Hold a contest that awards winners with discounted or free products.
Holding an end-of-the-year contest is a great way to motivate your customers and increase engagement. The best part is that it's easy to set up and can be done in just a few days.
To ensure you're giving them the opportunity to win something valuable, offer products relevant to your business.
Guess what? You’re in luck today because I’ve written out an example for some inspiration below:
“We're so grateful to have you as a customer.
We want to show you how much we appreciate your business and loyalty, so we're hosting a contest!
For every $100 spent, you'll receive one entry into our drawing. The more you spend, the more entries you get!
The winner will be chosen at random in December, and they'll receive either a free product or a discount code for their next purchase.”
Feel free to rewrite this, and tailor it to your e-commerce site.
Encourage user-generated content and reward your customers by sharing it on your website or social media channels.
Reward your customers with discounts for each post they share about your business, whether a review or a photo taken on their smartphone of using one of your products.
If someone posts a picture of themselves wearing a hat you sell, give them $5 off their next purchase if they tag you in the photo.
Send a thank you email after a purchase is made and ask if they're satisfied with their order and experience. 📨
A simple thank you email sent after a purchase goes a long way in the customer experience department. In addition to thanking people for ordering from your e-commerce store, ask if they are satisfied with their purchase and experience.
Always find opportunities to let your customers know that you appreciate them.
Here are some of the benefits of making time to show your customers appreciation:
Build trust: When you take the time to show your customers that you care about them, it builds trust. Customers who feel like you're actually listening to them and responding with genuine concern for their experience are more likely to trust that you'll provide quality products and services.
Encourage loyalty: When someone feels valued by a company, they're more likely to want to stick around. In fact, customers who feel appreciated will want to continue doing business with a company that treats them well, even if they're not necessarily getting the best deal at first glance.
Create opportunities for growth: When customers feel appreciated, they're more likely to recommend your business or come back again and again. This means more opportunities for growth and expansion.
In conclusion
I hope these tips will inspire you to show your customers some appreciation. The best thing about increasing customer loyalty is that it can be as simple as sending a “thank you” email after every purchase, and that doesn't cost much.
So, if you want to improve your e-commerce brand’s reputation, then this is one area where investing time and effort into developing good relationships with your customers will pay off.