Research shows that retaining existing customers is much more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. As a customer becomes loyal to your brand, they will continue to buy from you. In order to build customer loyalty, you’ll need to first build their trust in you. Here are three powerful tools that can help.
Clear Communication
Clear communication is essential for building trust in any relationship, so it’s needless to say that having good communication with your customers will pay off in the long run.
Make an effort to communicate regularly with your customers. Contact them often through email newsletters or notifications. Don’t only contact your customers when you want them to buy from you; if they feel nagged or used, they won’t give you their trust. Share positive and helpful information with them in the form of emails, how-to articles, and blog posts. If you communicate clearly with your customers, they’ll know what to expect from you and your company and begin to trust you.
Word-of-Mouth
Word-of-mouth can be a powerful marketing tool. 92% of consumers trust their family and friends more than what they see in your ads. This is obvious; they’ll have fewer reservations about trusting the opinions of people they’ve known for years than they will about a promotion they’ve only seen a few times.
You should take advantage of word of mouth marketing strategies such as partner marketing, referral programs, micro-influencers, and affiliate campaigns. These strategies have been shown to increase conversion rates and build a loyal customer base.
Customer Reviews
Studies have shown that most customers trust online customer reviews almost as much as they trust the opinions and experiences of their personal contacts. The majority of customers research products online and read reviews before they make a purchase. Customers nowadays are looking for a personal level of engagement with the companies from which they buy. They want to know that their favourite stores care about them in addition to providing quality products.
Make sure to put this information to good use. The way you engage with your customers and their reviews can make or break your level of trust with them. If you graciously handle customer complaints and show how much you value your customers, you’ll build a reputation of honesty and trustworthiness.
Your customers’ trust is valuable. Prioritizing the building of this trust will help you increase your sales and grow your business. Use these three tools—clear communication, word-of-mouth, and customer reviews—to build a trusting relationship with your customers.
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