At a time when so many competitions are emerging, companies need their customers to be loyal. To do so, companies are investing more in building brand loyalty.
Brand loyalty is simply cultivating a kind of devotion to a company’s products and services. This means that customers purchase or support that company more than its other competitors. Companies focus on this because customer retention proves to be more cost-efficient than attracting new customers.
Brand loyalty is developed through marketing campaigns—one of them being reward programs. Companies curate a unique set of offers that are exclusive to loyal customers. As a result, customers feel more special and valued.
Rewards are another way to express their gratitude to customers who never fail to support the company. They become a huge motivator for customers to continue their devotion to the brand.
With the presence of social media and the internet, conducting loyalty programs has become easier. However, they’ve also grown to be more creative. The following are creative reward programs for loyal customers:
- Exclusive Content
Offering exclusive content to loyal customers makes them feel special. Exclusivity is something that has been leveraged by a lot of brands. Take, for example, the long waitlist for a Hermes Birkin, the limited-edition marketing of Supreme, or even Weverse Membership for K-Pop fans. These strategies create a sense of scarcity of access. It incites curiosity among people and, to a certain extent, compels customers to stay.
Here are ways to deliver exclusive content to loyal fans and followers:
- Create a mail list. Give fans and followers an option to sign up for a mail list or a newsletter. This creates a more personal approach since you’re sending the content straight to their inbox.
- Let them sign up for an account. Brands can create a website where fans and followers can sign up for membership. Then, this is where the brand can post everything that they want to be exclusive.
- Once fans have signed up for an account or a mail list, brands can send them early access to promos or special discounts and coupons through their email marketing campaigns. If you are always looking for the best discount and coupon codes then visiting this site would be ideal for you, their cettire coupon code is ideal for all the shopaholics.
- Giveaways
Giveaways are a great way to express gratitude and give back to loyal customers. It also feels more personal because the brand has to directly contact the lucky customer. In addition to this, the company can benefit from the mechanics that they set. These mechanics could be sharing, liking, or commenting on a post.
Here are ways to make a giveaway a little more meaningful:
- Ask your followers to share something in the comments. Add a question or a suggestion as part of the mechanics. It could be something related to the giveaway, why they like the brand, or even just how their days went.
- Conduct the giveaway on an exclusive platform. More brands utilize technology to create a community among their followers. Some of them use a Discord server for their giveaways so that they can stay in touch with everyone easily.
- Personalize the items. Being a little extra personal with the items goes a long way. You can include a handwritten note or simply add a customer’s name to the packaging.
- Collaborate with Fans, Followers, and Other Companies
Collaboration is an effective way to gain exposure for a brand. In fact, it works both ways. Both the brand and the collaborator get extra reach and engagement.
Aside from exposure, collaborations with fans and followers make them feel like the brand sees them, and they’re not just another number. It’s also a great honor for them to be part of a project initiated by the brand.
Collaborations with companies could be fun if done right. Take, for example, Uniqlo’s collaborations with authors, local artists, anime, movies, etc. This strategy gives the audience a lot of options and appeals to their other interests as well.
Here are ways to collaborate with fans, followers, and other companies:
- Commission local artists. Local artists are closer to the community. Featuring local artists could also be the brand’s way of supporting these artists and giving them more audience.
- Start an ambassador program with fans and followers. Who could advocate the brand better than people who love it? Fans do amazing referrals and word-of-mouth marketing. Imagine what else they can do with an official partnership.
- Contact other companies. A good start with collaborations is to get in touch with brands who are in the same industry. For example, if you’re a fashion brand, it’s best to participate in collaborations with other fashion brands.
The Key Takeaways
Companies can establish brand loyalty through exclusive content, collaborations, and giveaways. These programs allow fans and followers to feel rewarded for supporting the brand. In running these strategies, it’s important to be consistent with keeping in touch with customers. Building brand loyalty is a continuous process, so remember to stay updated with every shift in consumer touchpoints.
About the Author:
Maki Ng
Maki is a writer for 0917 Lifestyle who’s always on the lookout for upcoming trends and isn’t afraid to test the waters with fashion-forward pieces. He loves vibing to lo-fi and R&B.
