We like to believe that we all make decisions based upon logic, but the truth of the matter is that we are more likely to be driven by emotion when it comes to making purchases. By understanding the emotions that motivate your customers, you are able to incorporate initiatives and programs to create an even better experience for them.
Here are five of the emotions that drive customer loyalty and some ideas for how to leverage them in an authentic, positive way.
Surprise
Who doesn’t love a happy surprise? From the first interaction with your brand, your customers are battling against their initial judgments. The first way to build surprise into your customer experience is to go above and beyond from the beginning. As you move forward with your customers, you can easily build surprise into their experiences by adding a little extra to their orders or sending special offers for special occasions.
Familiarity
In today’s world, consumers want to know their brands. They want to be connected and they want to be invested. Before your customers will begin following you on Facebook and opening your e-newsletters, you need to develop a relationship with them. Be conversational and learn about their needs. If you run a small business, this can easily be accomplished by interacting with them on a personal level. If your business is larger or web-based, consider beginning your digital marketing campaigns by posing questions to your customers or adding clear value to their experiences with stellar content.
Relief
No matter how well you plan your business, things will go wrong from time to time. There’s just no way around it. However, this provides an opportunity to leverage a powerful emotion: relief. When an order doesn’t get processed properly or a service doesn’t go as planned, your customer will likely feel some anxiety or frustration. By going above and beyond to remedy the situation, you can spark a sense of relief that will only make that customer appreciate you more.
Gratitude
The reason you are able to make sales is because you have set a price that’s in line with your customers’ perceived value for your products or services. The easiest way to instill a sense of gratitude is to deliver more than expected. Whether it’s the personal touch of a follow-up email asking whether they enjoyed your product, a well-thought-out instruction manual, or a simple added bonus included in their packaging, gratitude is a key emotion for driving loyalty.
Belonging
Have you ever wondered why so many brands have loyalty programs? It’s human nature to want to belong to something bigger. We want to feel as though we have inside information or special status, and we want to know that our favorite brands think of us past the point of sale. It can be as simple as asking your customers for their birthdays and sending a little note or as complicated as a fully integrated loyalty program that tracks spending habits. Either way, a customer that feels as though he or she belongs with your brand is a customer that will always come back for more.
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About the Author
With more than three decades of experience in all facets of sales management, customer service, business growth, and staff coordination, Certified Business Coach Greg Emslie is a focused professional with the tools to help you grow and manage your business effectively.
Driven by his ability to implement proven business concepts and help improve teams, Greg affects all areas of the companies he works with, including sales, leadership, profitability, and decision-making. He focuses on improving efficiency and processes for his clients while helping them grow their revenue base.
Ready to begin finding other ways to make your company more productive? Let’s get the conversation started. Contact Greg Emslie for a business strategy discussion today!