Glad to see you back! We’re almost done with our blog series for starting a print-on-demand business. Now you know how to grow your company using Facebook Ads. It’s time you learn how to enchant and keep all these customers you’ll be driving to your store.

Let’s face it: We’re all devoted to our favorite brands. Once we find them, they become the love of our lives, it’s hard for us to buy somewhere else, and we even defend them tooth and nail! Wouldn’t it be nice if your clients did the same for your business?

Well, it’s possible with a well-planned strategy and hard work. Let’s dive in 😎 

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Why Is Customer Loyalty Important? 

Customer loyalty refers to the relationship your buyers have with your business. In the ecommerce realm, where people have access to thousands of stores, building and keeping loyalty has become one of the most important goals for companies.

It’s a win-win situation. Your customers receive an exceptional experience as you continue to grow your print-on-demand business by: 

1. Building a reputation – Your recurrent customers are your best promoters. Word-of-mouth marketing is key, so you want to ensure your buyers have good experiences to share with their friends and family. 
2. Increasing your customer base – As loyal customers advocate for your brand, they start creating a community and incite new buyers to join your business.
3. Fueling your revenue – Did you know that getting new customers is more expensive than keeping existing ones? Loyalty can help you lower your marketing costs, and encourage customers to make larger, frequent purchases.

How a Loyal Customer Looks Like

And just as love, loyalty for brands is expressed in many ways. There are four different factors in which a relationship with your customers is built from:

• Price – People purchase from your store because you offer the best prices. Most likely, they’ll move if you raise them.
• Convenience – These customers buy due to ease of use and are willing to pay extra for it, like fast shipping.
• Brand – Buyers prefer your brand over the rest and purchase because they believe in your values, regardless of your prices.
• Program – People who make the most out of loyalty program benefits and use all perks available. 
  

It’s healthy for a business to have all of these loyal clients, so don’t try to aim for just one. Instead, identify these groups of customers and plan a strategy to delight them all.

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How to Build Customer Loyalty?

There are several ways to earn customer trust in the print-on-demand field, but let’s focus on these five expert-recommended tactics.

1. Share Your Values

There’s no easier way to connect with your customers than to be authentic. So, identify what makes your brand unique, define your purpose and attributes, and how your core values match your niche’s beliefs. 

Understanding what aspects of your brand are worthy of your customers’ loyalty is the starting point of a strong relationship with them. 

2. Offer Outstanding Customer Service

Both new and existing customers have high expectations, especially for customer service. And you need to provide the best possible experience from the moment they land on your website to when they call and ask your customer service team for assistance. 

According to Khoros, good customer service turns one-time clients into long-term brand advocates. At the same time, 89% of consumers are more likely to make a second purchase after a positive customer service experience (Salesforce Research).

The bottom line is that phenomenal customer service secures a long-lasting relationship. 

3. Pay Attention to Feedback

Your customers are your best source of information, so don’t be afraid to ask them for feedback every chance you get. Positive comments help you reinforce what you do best, while negative ones help improve business strategies. 

Consider creating a feedback loop: A cause-effect system that helps you identify growth opportunities based on customers’ suggestions. 

When asking for feedback, try to be as straightforward as possible. Sometimes, one question is enough! Here are some suggestions on what you can ask your clients: 

• How would you rate your purchase?
• Would you recommend our products to a friend?
• How can we improve?
  

When customers are heard and valued, they're more likely to hold your company in high esteem. Allow your customers to share their feelings and proposals, then take action on what you can improve. 

Speaking of feedback, did you know that Fuel has a Facebook Community Group? This is a space where our sellers share comments, ask questions, and support each other. Feel free to join us anytime!

4. Show your Appreciation

Recognize loyal customers while keeping them coming back. There are a few ways you can let your customers know you cherish them: 

• With a rewards program – This tactic can influence your audience’s shopping pattern, as they feel encouraged to buy from your store more frequently to get a prize. 
• By offering exclusive deals – Promo codes, discounts, and special offers are the best way to incentivize repeat purchases.
• With a personalized shopping experience – Use all your efforts to make your clients feel appreciated. Emails, SMS, and after-purchase handwritten postcards can make a difference. 
  

💡Fuel Tip: Integrate the Smile app on your store to design a loyalty points program. 

5. Establish a Strong Community 

Building customer loyalty relies on having a community. Providing a conversational space where customers can interact with your brand and among each other can fuel your relationship. Use this forum to share announcements, ask for feedback or product suggestions, and hype up the enthusiasm of your most active fans 🔥

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How to Measure Customer Loyalty

Keeping an eye on your customers’ satisfaction is vital to optimizing your efforts. The following metrics can help you understand how your loyalty behaves: 

💡 Fuel Tip: Use the Sales reports available in your store’s admin to identify Purchase Frequency and Average Order Value.

The easiest, fastest way to ask for feedback is by running a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey. It consists of a single question that measures customer sentiment towards an experience: On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely would you recommend [your products/brand] to a friend?‍

As the inquiry states, the responses are rated from 0 (not likely) to 10 (extremely likely). Depending on the answers fall into three categories:

1. Promoters – Enthusiastic customers who respond with a 9 or 10 score. 
2. Passive – Neutral clients who respond with a score of 7 or 8. 
3. Detractors – Unhappy customers who have responded with a score lower than 6. 
   

Use the formula shared above to get a bigger picture of your customer loyalty and create an action plan for improvements.

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Tips to Earn & Keep Customer Loyalty

Not only is it essential to create a trusting relationship with a client, but it’s crucial to maintain it. Remember to: 

• Make yourself available – Whether you receive a message via email, social media, or chatbot, you have to be there to answer quickly. Streamline your conversations with automatic replies or prepared scripts for faster assistance. 
• Establish emotional connection – You and your customer should have more than a transactional relationship. Engaging and connecting deeper with your audience will guarantee better results in the long term.
• Ask for reviews and user-generated content – Encourage your clients to write comments and share pictures of their products repost on your socials. This projects a sense of trust with soon-to-be customers and creates a sense of belonging.
  

And just like that, you’re ready to build your own fan base! Let’s continue our blog series with some Shopify app suggestions for your print-on-demand ecommerce.