Creating Customer Loyalty for Your Small Business

I’ll say it again and again if you aren’t finding new leads and new customers, you aren’t going to grow. But I don’t need to tell you the importance of your “regulars”. If you are losing as many old customers as fast (or even faster) as you add new ones, you aren’t growing or even maintaining. So how do you maintain a strong customer base, so you can focus on finding new, amazing customers?

Build engaging customer loyalty programs and systems.

Here are some of my ideas:

Give discounts when they come back.

Frequent customer programs are common and extremely successful. May local businesses like my favorite sub shop down the road have a card to punch each time a customer makes a purchase. 

Get customers involved in your business growth.

A referral program is an excellent way to keep your loyal customers and expand to find new ones. Have a way for new customers to identify someone who referred them to you. This may be easier for service businesses, but shops and restaurants can establish “friends and family” coupons or events to invite new patrons.

Grow your product base and tell people about it.

Most likely, you’ve established your business on a core product or service. As you grow, you’ll be expanding that product line. These new products will be really exciting for your customers! The new products will help them return again and again. You can use an email marketing strategy to keep the customers informed about the new products!

Get your customers involved in your product offerings.

Your customers are your best option for telling others about your awesome products. Ask them to give you reviews and testimonials. Ask them to answer a survey about your existing products and what they’d like to see for new ones. Let your customers know you care about their opinion and their patronage.