Author: Julia Kendrick
First impressions are said to last, but when it comes to your business it’s often second impressions which truly count, particularly in the aesthetics, beauty and wellness industry where brand reputation is synonymous with success. Encouraging repeat purchases and/or bookings from existing customers is an effective way to maintain and expand your customer base. If you want your brand or business to succeed in the long-term, it’s time to put customer loyalty and retention at the forefront of your PR and marketing strategy.
In this article, Julia Kendrick explains the role and importance of customer loyalty alongside 10 ways businesses in the aesthetics, beauty and wellness industries can build customer loyalty.
What is customer loyalty ?
Customers who return to purchase from the same business regularly are considered loyal or repeat customers. Customer loyalty refers to the ongoing commitment or likelihood of customers returning to purchase from a specific business or brand and staying loyal to it – rather than competitors.
An ongoing positive relationship between a customer and a business is essential to build loyalty, however, the motivations behind loyal customers can vary. For example, one segment of customers may prioritise value for money and discounts, whereas another may hold exceptional service in high regard. A good understanding of your existing customer behaviours and motivations will help optimise your customer offering to maximise their experience with your brand.
New customers vs Repeat customers
A thriving business should have a healthy mix of new and repeat customers. Let’s clarify which is which:
- A new customer is somebody who has made their first purchase with your business in a given time period. For example, they have made their first and only purchase in the last 3 months.
- A repeat customer returns to your business regularly to buy products and services. For example, they have made 3 or more purchases in the past 12 months.
The parameters of each customer segment may vary between businesses but it’s important to note that new customers as those who have recently made their first purchase. Many businesses prioritise their PR and marketing efforts on acquiring new customers – but it’s not always the smartest way to maximise revenue and drive growth.
Finding new clients is time consuming and expensive, whereas nurturing relationships with those who already know you is the most time and cost efficient way to drive more revenue and profit. Think about it: your existing customers are most likely to buy from you again and become loyal customers over time – if they’ve already had a positive experience with your brand!
Why is building customer loyalty important?
Continuously paying to acquire new customers is not a sustainable business model and without a group of loyal customers any brand or business will struggle. Loyal customers who return to shop at and invest in their favourite brands help to deliver the following benefits to that business:
- Increased revenue
- Increased profit
- A stronger ability to convert customers from competitors
- More trust and credibility
- Increased word-of-mouth marketing
- Stabilised performance to fuel business growth and expansion
- Attract new customers in a cost-effective way
- Nurture a good brand reputation
To build customer loyalty, a business must focus on building and maintaining a good brand reputation whilst providing a great customer experience. When these elements align, your brand can reap the above benefits and more!
10 ways to build customer loyalty
When we think of customer loyalty we may think of loyalty programmes and promotions that keep customers purchasing from a brand, however PR has a huge and important role to play in building trust and loyalty with target audiences.Below are ten proven PR and marketing methods to help you build customer loyalty for your beauty, aesthetics or wellness brand:
- Create a compelling brand identity: Building a strong brand takes time and effort but establishing the right brand position alongside a good reputation is essential. Consider: what do you want to be known for? A strong brand has a clear purpose, values, mission and identity which drive customer loyalty.
- Invest in PR to be seen by your target audiences: Brand reputation is paramount to long-term commercial brand success and an effective brand strategy ensures that a brand is seen by its target audiences. PR is one of the most effective ways to promote your brand and get it noticed. A consistent, creative and strategic investment in PR can raise brand awareness, drive customer loyalty, increase sales and so much more!
- Keep an up-to-date database: Your ideal customers are likely already in your database. It’s possible that they may have purchased a product or service once and then disappeared, so now is the ideal time to re-establish contact and invite to them to shop with your brand or visit your clinic again. To ensure communication efforts are focused, organise your database into meaningful key segments such as VIPS/high and frequent shoppers, Regular/Active shoppers, New/First purchase only, and Dormant/No response (these can be archived).
- Keep in touch: Always be proactive when it comes to communicating with your customers, as timely updates will help keep your brand front of mind. The first step is to collect contact details from every customer at the point of booking or purchase so you can stay in touch. The beauty of technology means that many messages can be prepared in advance, automated and personalised. For example, if you have a clinic don’t forget to send an appointment reminders, thank patients for each visit, and invite them to maintenance appointments at regular intervals, as well as sharing reviews/ feedback.
- Choose the right communication channels: Find out how your customers prefer to be contacted and prioritise this method. Today, it is often a combination of SMS, email, WhatsApp and social media. In addition to 1-2-1 contact also consider how your target customers consume media on a wider scale and ensure your brand has a presence there. For example, which magazines do they read? Which websites do they visit? Your PR strategy should ensure you secure coverage and maintain visibility in target media.
- Partner with a business your customers love: A great way to build customer loyalty is to partner with a brand that your target customers love and create an exclusive partnership offer. This could be a simple as a mutual discount for customer bases or an exciting brand collaboration event.
- Host a special event: In-person events are a great way to engage with and make your most loyal customers feel special. From treatment previews in clinic or a product masterclass in store, special events bring your brand to life and deepen your brand’s relationship with its customers.
- Encourage feedback: When customers are given the opportunity to share feedback they feel valued. Prompt your customers after every purchase or appointment to review their experience with your brand, this is also a great way to build your brand reputation if each review is published online. Regular surveys of your customer database are also a great way to benchmark opinion and optimise future customer experiences.
- Celebrate birthday and milestones: Treating your customers to celebrate milestones such as their birthday or your brand birthday is a great way to stimulate warm feelings towards your brand and build customer loyalty. Discounts, gifts with purchase or early access are all effective ways to make loyal customers feel special.
- Update your online presence: Always keep your website and social media channels active and full of fresh content. Social media is great channel for communicating with customers and building a loyal community of fans, just focus on the platforms that your target customers use and enjoy the most.
Tip! Poor quality can kill customer loyalty, keep your standards high in every aspect of your business to build a great brand reputation that is compelling and consistent.
We specialise in winning PR strategies
At Kendrick PR, we thrive on creating winning formulas of strategic and tactical support for premium beauty brands, aesthetic clinics, and practitioners. Founded in 2015 by award-winning communications expert Julia Kendrick, Kendrick PR are an experienced and passionate team with an excellent reputation. From PR Consultancy to Brand Development, we have delivered outstanding results for some of the industry’s most innovative brands and exciting entrepreneurs, such as Cynosure, Debbie Thomas, The Private Clinic, Oxygenetix, and Medik8 – and we’d love to support your brand. Please get in touch to book a discovery call with us.