Four Ways Businesses Can Build Customer Loyalty

Social Media Examiner has outlined four approaches businesses can use to build a more committed audience: in-person experiences, behind-the-scenes content, gamification and sharing personal passions. The article frames fan-building as a way to encourage loyalty, including when customers encounter a less expensive competitor. For marketers, the approaches offer different ways to develop a relationship that extends beyond a single transaction.

In-person experiences are one option for bringing a business and its audience together. When considering this approach, marketers can start by identifying what an encounter should offer attendees and how it relates to the business. The goal is not simply to arrange an event, but to give people an opportunity to engage with the brand in a setting beyond their usual purchase experience.

Behind-the-scenes content offers another way to show an audience more about a business. Marketers could consider which parts of their work they are comfortable sharing and how those details connect to what customers care about. This approach can be applied to content planning without requiring every post to promote a product or ask for a sale.

Gamification adds a different dimension to fan-building. A marketer considering it can think about how an activity might invite people to participate, rather than merely view a message. Any game-like element should be understandable to its intended audience and relevant to the business. The emphasis is on participation as part of the relationship, not on treating the tactic as a substitute for the product or service itself.

The fourth approach focuses on personal passions. Sharing interests connected to the people behind a business can give audiences another way to understand it. Marketers can consider where those interests fit naturally with their communications and avoid treating them as a separate sales pitch. As with the other approaches, the choice of what to share depends on the business and the audience it wants to reach.

What this means for marketers

Review the four approaches against your existing marketing activity and choose one that fits your audience and resources. Define what you want customers to experience before planning content or an activity. None of the approaches guarantees loyalty, but each provides a starting point for thinking beyond price-led messaging.