Brand Loyalty Importance: How to Build Brand Loyalty
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 21, 2022 • 2 min read
In today’s competitive environment, brand loyalty helps companies stand out from competitors, gain a significant market share, and ensure consistent profits year over year. Learn how to build brand loyalty with customers.
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Brand Loyalty Definition
Brand loyalty refers to customers who commit to a particular brand and repeatedly purchase products. Brand loyalty allows companies to gain revenue from existing customers over time. Customers loyal to a brand will often advocate for its products and services, making referrals to friends and family through word-of-mouth marketing. Creating brand loyalty is integral to brand strategy and gives companies a competitive edge.
Brand Loyalty vs. Customer Loyalty
Brand loyalty and customer loyalty are loyalty types with varying motivations. Customers who exhibit brand loyalty will create an emotional connection to the brand and make purchases because they believe the brand has the best quality and service, no matter the price. On the other hand, customer loyalty depends solely on pricing. Brands must frequently offer discounts and promotions to retain customer loyalty.
Why Is Brand Loyalty Important?
Building brand loyalty is essential because it can boost the following areas for a company:
- 1. Competitiveness: Brand-loyal customers have strong brand awareness and an emotional connection to a specific brand. This loyalty gives brands a competitive advantage.
- 2. Marketing: Customers loyal to a brand will frequently recommend it to their friends and family as ad hoc brand ambassadors. Brands with a loyal customer base rely on word-of-mouth marketing and can, as a result, implement fewer marketing strategies to find new customers. Generally, it costs brands more to acquire new customers than to retain existing ones.
- 3. Revenue: Brand loyalty means a brand can depend on its existing customers for revenue and is not as dependent on finding new customers. Having strong customer retention can lead to higher revenue for the company.
How to Build Brand Loyalty
A positive customer experience is vital to building brand loyalty. Consider the following strategies to foster a positive customer experience and encourage customers to return to your brand:
- 1. Be socially responsible. Millennial and Gen Z consumers spend more on brands that prioritize sustainability and corporate social responsibility as part of their business practice. Sharing sustainability efforts and advocacy for social issues can help brands gain brand loyalty.
- 2. Create brand awareness. Brands with consistent messaging and imaging across social media platforms and email marketing can help build brand awareness. Familiarity with logos and branding can boost loyalty. For example, PepsiCo’s beverage Pepsi has had a familiar, circular logo with red and blue colors for decades, which helps to build brand loyalty.
- 3. Ensure product quality. An essential part of building brand loyalty is high product quality. If brands provide better-quality products than their competitors, customers will be more likely to repurchase and recommend new products.
- 4. Prioritize customer service. If customers can easily get in touch with you to solve their problems and know you are quick and responsive, that will create customer satisfaction. FAQ pages on websites, chatbots, and 24/7 phone representatives are examples of ways to meet customer needs and boost customer satisfaction.
- 5. Reward brand loyalty. Creating loyalty programs or rewards programs that provide frequent customers with incentives for repeat purchases or offer giveaways can help build brand loyalty.
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