Introduction
No one sets up a business just for the fun of it. Beyond the urge to provide a service and meet the needs of a particular demographic, every entrepreneur delves into business with the aim of making profit. Processes might differ, and projections may either be short-term or long-term, but there is no one who goes into a business venture without thinking of how best to make returns.
No Business Can Survive Without Customers!
Regardless of what industry you’re in, or what kinds of products and services you sell, your customers are the most important part of your business. If there are no customers, no sales will be made, and the business will ultimately go under. There will no need to put your services out there if there is no market and no demand for said services.
When you have a clear idea of who your customers are and what they need, it would be easier for you to develop products and services that are tailored to helping your customers solve their problems more effectively. If your target audience doesn’t see the need for what you have to offer, then they will never come to you.
Customers are important because they influence the flow of revenue; without their frequent patronage, your business will cease to exist.
Ways To Build Customer Loyalty
Customer loyalty is a customer’s commitment to your brand. The nature of your customer service is usually what determines whether a consumer decides to buy your product, or if they opt to buy from your competitor instead.
There’s a strong correlation between customer experience and loyalty. Those businesses that get it right are more likely to retain customers and have those customers recommend the products or services to a friend. Customers no longer just compare products and prices. They also look at the quality of your customer service and experience. Again, it boils down to their need to feel confident about a company and its products/services before they purchase.
Here are a few methods through which you can build consumer loyalty:
1. Offer Regular Discounts On Your Services: You can provide customers with discounts on products they purchase regularly, as well as products that complement prior purchases. Offering an exclusive discount is a great way to recognize (and retain) key segments of your customer base.
2. Offer Rewards From Time To Time: Rewards can either be something a customer works toward, or a pleasant surprise. It could come by way of “buy three and get one free”, or it could be in the form of adding a free extra item in the shopping cart for a customer who has been shopping with you for a significant period of time. Running a reward system gives the customer something to aspire to and increases the chances of them coming back.
3. Ask For Feedback: Reviews are useful because they are authentic testimonials from real people. Someone who is unsure of whether or not they should buy from you will check reviews to see other people’s experiences with your business, and decide from there if they want to buy from you. Curating feedback is a great way to help these shoppers turn into long-term customers. It’s also an opportunity to turn your happy customers into brand advocates.
4. Engage Your Customers: It is easier to retain your customers, and even attract new ones, when they see that you care enough to interact with them on a regular basis. People want the businesses whose products and services they consume to see them as humans, not robots. So, frequent engagement is important. However, you have to strike a balance, so you don’t appear to be spamming them. You can boost customer engagement by developing a brand voice, hosting webinars and other forums, creating marketing content that is as informative as it is catchy, and responding timeously to inquiries made via social media.
5. Remember Their Special Days: Sending a simple “Happy Birthday” email or text message to acknowledge their special day keeps you top-of-mind and shows that you care. You can take this a step further by giving them a special birthday discount or a free product to help them celebrate.
To keep track of customers’ birthdays, it would be useful to have a database that retrieves relevant information when customers sign up to use your products and services on a regular basis.
How Paga Displays Commitment To Its Large Customer Case
Paga, the leading payment solutions provider in Nigeria, has committed itself to simplifying financial transactions for millions of Nigeria. Thanks to the platform, it’s a lot easier to send money, receive money, pay bills, invest and even schedule payments with just a touch of the button. In the past couple of months, as a way of giving back to its valued customers, the company has rolled out several exciting promos and giveaways to not only thank its loyal customers, but also reaffirm its commitment to providing top-notch services to its numerous users.
On November 2, 2021, Paga launched the “Time For More” campaign, where users got the chance to win the sum of N100,000 and 2% cash back, cinema tickets, and tickets to this year’s edition of the Art X festival in Lagos. All they had to do was visit the Ember section of the Paga blog, spin the wheel, install and get registered on the Paga app, then perform at least one transaction. Ten customers also got to win tickets to Art X Lagos by simply being the first to solve a crossword puzzle.
On November 18, 2021, Paga was unveiled as the official payment partner for the third edition of Johnny Drille’s annual concert, “Johnny’s Room Live”, which took place in Lagos and Abuja on November 28 and December 12 respectively. Paga’s followers on Instagram and Facebook got to win free tickets to the concert by participating in short quizzes, playing the spin-and-win game, and guessing song lyrics.
Customers also enjoyed ticket giveaways for gospel singer Sinach’s Christmas concert, which happened in Lagos on December 12, 2021. Winning the tickets was simple: all they needed to do was follow Paga on Instagram, install and register on the Paga app, then request the sum of N10,000 from the Paga team, and correctly state how many albums Sinach has released.
Conclusion
However good your product or service is, the simple truth is that no-one will buy it if they don’t want it or believe they don’t need it. Knowing and understanding customer needs is at the centre of every successful business, whether it sells directly to individuals or other businesses. Once you have this knowledge, you can use it to persuade potential and existing customers that buying from you is in their best interests.
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