Here at Baillie Lumber, we take brand awareness and loyalty very seriously. We know that companies have to earn the respect and loyalty of their customers, and we strive to differentiate ourselves from the competition. For us, this starts right at the top with our company purpose, which is to help others succeed!
As we have noted previously, successful brand differentiation includes the following:
- Know your customer base inside and out.
- Focus on building long-term customer relationships.
- Always pay attention to your brand image and reputation.
- Answer the key customer question, “What’s in it for me?”
These are important issues to contend with, since B2B businesses generally have fewer customers to work with than those in the B2C realm, thus increasing the value of customer retention.
What can you do in 2021 to boost brand loyalty? Here are a few tips we found helpful to keep in mind.
Always put the customer first. The sales and retention activities involved in sales can get pretty complex at times. In such cases, it’s easy to lose sight of customers and focus efforts instead on operational aspects of the business. But emphasizing the customer’s needs above all will help keep your retention numbers high.
Be sure your team understands this crucial point. Consider assigning “dedicated employees to each account,” advises Cloud Annex, “but also have other forms of customer assistance available, such as support forums or Q&As” so their questions and/or issues can be quickly addressed.
Focus on easing customer pain points. A thriving company doesn’t think in terms of “profit first,” but instead on doing all that’s possible to make life easier for its customers.
Focus on “being reliable for scheduled deliveries, being able to fulfill orders, personalizing service, and measuring customer service levels,” suggests Customer Insight Group, Inc. Remember, in an era of peer review sites and social media, “a disappointed customer can inflict widespread reputational damage.”
Ask for (and act upon) customer feedback. You may think you’re doing everything needed to instill brand loyalty. But there’s always the chance you and your team have overlooked some crucial aspect of customer service, or there may be new, unique ways to build loyalty.
The best way to assess these possibilities is by asking customers directly if there’s more that can be done. Through your business website and on social media, it’s fairly easy to solicit feedback (both good and bad, as the case may be).
There’s also email communications or, for your most valued customers, just picking up the phone to check-in. Such efforts are always appreciated by your customer base.
Know your customers. Understanding what your customers want and need is another top priority in the effort to build brand loyalty.
Just knowing names and contact information isn’t enough. While traditional methods of meeting with your contacts will most likely be on hold for a while longer, it is still important to maintain contact regularly using the multitude of digital tools that are available. During your conversations learn all you can about your client's current situation and their strategies for future growth. This information is vital in allowing you to better anticipate their needs going forward, which helps strengthen the relationship you have with a customer and could even turn them into brand ambassadors which can pay big dividends in the future.
Customers, like sales prospects, should be continually nurtured, educated about the benefits of your products, and given special attention whenever possible. That’s how customers evolve from a one-time sales opportunity into long-time loyal followers of your brand.
Brett Del Prince
Baillie Lumber
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