Customer loyalty is an integral part of every retail brand. It’s what keeps your name relevant and shoppers coming back for more. You can sell interesting products that initially get consumers into your store or on your website, but without customer loyalty, it’s incredibly difficult to survive.
People become loyal to a brand by associating it with a positive experience, such as great customer service, feeling connected to brand value and ideals, or consistent product quality. After multiple positive interactions, consumers will look forward to shopping from you time and time again. Thus, a loyal customer is born.
Whether you’re looking to build a loyal customer base from scratch or are just looking for a few tips to strengthen your existing one, here is some insight from retail experts on what exactly shoppers are looking for from retailers today that will keep them coming back.
Create Immersive Experiences
With the ways that online shopping has expanded, the competition out there is fierce. Which is why brands need to be creative when it comes to their marketing techniques.
“In today’s crowded retail environment, brands must create immersive experiences that connect emotionally with consumers,” advises Monica Gomez of The Concierge Club. “It’s no longer enough to simply offer a good product; you need to engage shoppers on a deeper level. This is where experiential marketing (XM) comes into play.”
The Concierge Club specializes in crafting high-impact brand activations that bring products to life, whether through pop-up events, in-store experiences or VIP brand engagements. These immersive experiences not only help to lure customers in, but also to create a positive encounter that will make the customer want to come back.
“Shoppers are drawn to experiences that are interactive, visually captivating and shareable on social media,” Gomez says. “By blending physical events with digital touchpoints, brands can create moments that not only grab attention but also build lasting emotional connections. Brands stand out when they offer more than just a product — they offer an experience that resonates with consumers on a personal level.”
Offer High Quality Products
The other important aspect of customer loyalty is to sell high quality products. You can boast the best experiences out there, but if your products don’t work well, shoppers won’t return.
Innovative plastic container brand Mr. Lid creates products that last for years. “One of the reasons we’re able to keep customers is because our products last,” says CEO Pall Musaev.
Many customers still have Mr. Lids that they purchased over 10 years ago when the brand first made its debut. With an attached lid that can’t get lost and a lasting product that doesn’t break easily, there’s no reason for shoppers to go elsewhere for their tupperware needs.
Personalization is the Core of Customer Loyalty
Consumers today are looking for authenticity, personalization and a strong sense of shared values, according to Gomez. The more personal you get, the more loyal your customers will be.
“Additionally, convenience plays a critical role — people expect seamless service across all channels, whether they’re shopping online or engaging with a brand in-person,” she adds. “At the Concierge Club, we see firsthand how consumers are more likely to stay loyal to brands that consistently deliver exceptional experiences, not just at the point of sale but throughout their customer journey.”
Offering VIP treatment, personalized recommendations or exclusive access can turn a one-time shopper into a lifelong advocate. Consumers want to feel valued, and brands that go the extra mile to create meaningful connections will foster greater loyalty.
Offer a Customer Loyalty Program
Even though the other tactics certainly help to bring customers back to your brand, offering a loyalty program where shoppers can get rewarded for every purchase is a plus. Mr. Lid just launched its very first loyalty program and customers are loving it.
“One of the reasons why a loyalty program was so important to me is because we have such a loyal customer base,” says Musaev. “What better way to incentivize and reward these people than by offering a discount on the products that they love?”
Gomez notes that a successful loyalty program should offer unique, experiential rewards.
“Loyalty programs can be effective, but only if they’re strategically designed,” she says. “Many programs fall flat because they focus too much on transactional rewards — such as discounts — and not enough on emotional loyalty. Consumers are inundated with loyalty programs, so simply offering points or discounts isn’t enough anymore.”
So aside from just offering discounts, try including access to special events, a free gift with a purchase or exclusive giveaways in your customer loyalty program.
“For example, imagine a beverage brand offering its loyalty members the chance to attend a private tasting event or tour of a brewery. These are the kinds of experiences that create a real sense of belonging and exclusivity,” adds Gomez.
Utilize Experiential Marketing
To build true customer loyalty, Gomez says experiential marketing combined with social engagement is incredibly powerful.
“Consumers today want to feel part of a brand’s story, and experiential marketing lets them participate in that story firsthand,” she says. “Whether through pop-up activations, exclusive VIP events or interactive digital experiences, these tactics allow brands to immerse customers in their world.”
Recently, Mr. Lid decided to change up their marketing tactics when Musaev bought the company. “I thought there was an opportunity to market the product in a different way,” he says. “Containers don’t have to be boring. They’re actually very useful in our lives, so why don’t we turn this container with this cool feature into something fun?”
So Mr. Lid revised their marketing tactics to be more fun and reimagine how the problem of losing a container lid could be solved. “Then we present our container, like ‘Voila! Here’s the container 2.0,’” Musaev says.
All of the above examples provide some great ways to help improve your brand’s customer loyalty. And it all comes down to creativity and personalization. You need to give your shoppers experiences and products that they just can’t get anywhere else.
