n our first blog post on brand engagement, we discussed some important factors on how to get your audience to engage. Today we’re going to wrap up our blog post series on brand engagement with a look at how to encourage customer buy-in, and some specific actions you can take in your business right now that will boost customer loyalty and reduce churn.
Create Buy-In
People make purchasing decisions based on how they feel, and there is an art to guiding potential customers into that buying process. People need to feel that the potential loss of missing out on your product or service is greater than the “safety” of the situation remaining as-is. However, they also need to feel safe enough with your brand to trust that your solution will perform exactly as promised, and give them the desired result.
It’s the combination of discomfort, trust, and urgency that ultimately drives someone to make that initial purchase.
It’s at this point that many businesses stop the nurturing process, which is why customer churn can often be an issue. It’s important to remember that buy-in doesn’t stop at the moment that a purchase is made.
By making customers feel good about their purchase and valued as a customer, customer loyalty is increased along with the potential for higher lifetime customer values. There are several ways to use content to accomplish this, including:
- New customer welcome packets
- Onboarding emails
- New customer webinars
- Customer follow-up messages
- Regular surveys, rewards, and loyalty incentives
Remember Reciprocity
When it comes to asking and performing favors, most people like to be on a fairly even keel versus feeling like they owe someone a favor. However, studies have also shown that most people tend to view people they do favors for in a more favorable light – whether or not they liked the person to start with.
You can tap into both of these effects with your content, and reap the benefits. Here’s a quick example:
THE SURPRISE BONUS
After a customer buys from you, offer another product or service as a bonus. It doesn’t have to be expensive; think of the free samples that many ecommerce stores include with a purchase. Because your new customer wasn’t expecting this additional item, it feels like you’ve done them a special favor – one that they’ll be eager to reciprocate.
THE FAVOR OF A REVIEW
Shortly after your new customer has purchased, reach out and ask them to review your product or service as a “special favor” to you. You might even point out how your business relies on customer feedback in order to improve.
If you’ve also included the surprise bonus, your customer now has an extra incentive to “pay back” your initial favor, while feeling more positively about your brand in general because they have input into your business processes.
In Conclusion…
Brand engagement is an ongoing process that doesn’t stop after the initial purchase. By using smart content and copywriting techniques, you can improve engagement and build brand loyalty that will ensure a strong customer base for years to come.
If you need help creating a brand engagement plan, or if your current plan could use some work, let us help – we will evaluate your current content marketing efforts and come up with a customized plan to help you see greater results from your online marketing initiatives
