I cheated on my barber.
This may not sound like a big deal, but for men, it is an unforgivable “sin”. A man’s loyalty to their barber is second to none. In most cases, when you cheat on your barber you either end up with a bad haircut or using an alternative route home out of guilt.
I admit I cheated, just this once, but I can explain. I honestly fell for his tools, he had hair clippers that I had never seen before. The sheer sight of the vintage-looking, engraved, coddles clippers was captivating. Even more exciting is the fact that he allowed me to touch and explore his tools, something my ex-barber never entertained. For this reason, I was sold and I have been seeing my new barber for a couple of months.
This change of heart got me thinking about brand loyalty and what would make clients ditch a brand for another. A majority of clients claim to be brand loyal in spite of having a range of options when it comes to the things they want to purchase. Any business needs brand loyalty.
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In most cases, brand loyalty breeds brand ambassadors who help the business onboard and retain customers. If a business is able to give the client an experience they won’t find anywhere else, they will keep them coming back.
There are a couple of marketing strategies that brands employ to build brand loyalty. Brands can improve loyalty by improving customer service and having a strong brand story.
The likelihood of a client coming back is determined by the service that a brand offers. Currently, social media has become a fundamental tool for customer service. It is very important for any brand to have a dedicated digital team to engage customers online.
Social media monitoring should be regular and queries responded to in good time. The interaction between a brand and its clients plays a major role in portraying the image of the company to the public.
Since social media is freely accessible to anyone, it is the perfect platform for potential clients to experience how they would be treated if they were part of the brand.
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The worst thing that can happen to a brand is having a reputation for being insensitive, unresponsive, or rude to their clients on social media. Transparency and being responsive to clients, online, build brand loyalty.
Social media monitoring shouldn’t be about responding to queries only, the digital team should be keen to identify customers who give positive feedback and appreciate them.
Acknowledgment of positive feedback on social media will build trust and, in turn, breed brand loyalty. It is important to be keen on the discussions around the brand online whether positive or negative because the team will be able to get ahead of any concerns before they become a crisis.
Brand loyalty can be created through compelling storytelling. A brand should create a unique voice that represents the brand and makes it feel relatable to the clients.
Creating and maintaining a consistent brand voice across all channels will make your brand more recognizable and memorable. If a brand is able to leave a lasting impact on customers, then there will be less need for long-term hard selling.
Meeting customers’ needs and creating a lasting experience that keeps clients coming back is what brand loyalty is all about.
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