Building a loyal customer base is essential for any business. Not only is retaining an existing customer more cost effective than acquiring a new one, but forming authentic connections with your core audience can also provide additional benefits—from valuable data that inspires a new product line to compelling user-generated content from your most enthusiastic buyers.
Consumers have a lot of choice when deciding where to spend their money, so how do you ensure your brand is one they keep coming back to? We asked brands this very question. Their answers can help inform your own marketing strategy.
1. Incentivize subscriptions
A strong subscription program can provide stable, recurring revenue month after month. The key is motivating new customers to opt in—while continuing to provide value to existing subscribers. It’s a model that can be adopted whether you have a product- or service-based business.
Sarah Vachon launched direct-to-consumer olive oil brand Citizens of Soil using a subscription framework, but it was when she rebranded the business model to an experience-based club that she really resonated with customers.
“We changed the CTA on the site from ‘Subscribe for refills’ to ‘Join the club,’” Sarah says on Shopify Masters. “That small step really transformed not only our sales, but how we thought about our whole business.”
Every month, subscribers get a different hand-picked (and ethically sourced) oil straight from a small farm. Each box also contains recipe suggestions and other extras, like tasting notes.
Claudia Snoh, who cofounded the premium coffee company Kloo, knew early on that subscriptions just made sense. But during the brand’s soft launch, she discovered that the price per bottle and shipping fees were deterring customers. So Claudia course-corrected, cutting the price and looking for ways to appeal to subscribers.
“We have a $7 bottle discount, which is very unusual for a DTC brand,” she says. “And, of course, we got rid of the shipping fee. Instead we upped our minimum quantity to two bottles per order, so we were able to really satisfy our customers’ needs by reducing the price and eliminating the shipping fee, but it also actually made us more profitable on the unit economic side.”
Kloo subscribers also get exclusive gifts, invites to special events, and early access to new products.
2. Carve out a niche
It might seem counterintuitive, but trying to appeal to too broad of an audience might cause your sales to fall flat. Consumers connect to authenticity, and brand messaging that tries to appeal to everyone could wind up pleasing no one. Getting hyper-specific and zeroing in on your core demographic can help you fine-tune your offerings—and have a greater impact.
This has been a big driver behind Guru’s growth. The organic energy drink company steers away from broad marketing campaigns and leans into communities that embody its brand values. Customer data is key here.
“We identified that the pre-workout occasion with the running community really resonated with our consumers,” says Shingly Lee, Guru’s vice president of marketing. Guru took that information and partnered with one of Quebec’s largest run clubs to connect with that niche and get authentic feedback on its products. “In the world of marketing, focus makes you bigger, not smaller,” Shingly says.
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3. Reward customer spending
More than 80% of consumers surveyed by performance marketing agency Merkle said they’d likely purchase from a brand more frequently because of their participation in a loyalty or rewards program. The idea behind these programs is to gamify the shopping experience, allowing customers to bank points they can cash in for real rewards—whether that’s exclusive savings or free products.
The beverage company Liquid Death doles out rewards to customers who create an account and then buy products, engage with the brand on social media, write a review, or refer a friend. Points can be traded for free brand merch.
Skin care brand Jaxon Lane follows a similar structure, offering 100 points for simply creating a rewards account. Customers can swap points for specialty discounts.
“Acquisition costs for ad spend to get new customers have just risen exponentially over the last few years,” says Jen Yu, Jaxon Lane’s cofounder. “So we launched a loyalty program earlier this year. You can accrue points [when you] make purchases and refer friends.”
4. Appoint ambassadors
A type of influencer marketing, ambassador programs are typically longer-term partnerships rather than one-off ad deals. While the main goal of ambassador programs is to recruit new customers to your brand, they can also be used to reward your most loyal customers with perks like free products, discounts, and event access in exchange for content. And who better to speak on your brand than the people who believe in it most?
“We honestly have always pursued influencers and ambassadors that really are fans of our brand. That has always been the strongest thing,” says Alex Penfold, cofounder of Jaxon Lane. “Does this person love your brand? Are they with you on the journey? Do they really believe in you?” If not, potential customers will likely sense the inauthenticity and be turned off.
Whether your ambassadors are professional content creators, enthusiastic customers, or industry experts, it’s always a good idea to create guidelines to ensure they’re posting at an agreed-upon frequency and putting out content that’s aligned with your brand voice and values.
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5. Host unique events
Live events, whether they’re held virtually or in person, can be a great way to build your community—and strengthen your relationship with your customers. These could include educational events like workshops, tutorials, or panels; insider access to new product launches; or meet-and-greets with industry leaders.
You could even take it one step further and host a customer trip. Brands have historically reserved these exclusive getaways for influencers, but many are shifting to a customer-centered approach. In 2024, the hydration brand Waterboy whisked 12 loyal customers off to Cabo, and they have another trip in the works to Tulum.
“Our customers are the ones who make our company what it is,” says cofounder Mike Xhaxho. “Obviously we work with a lot of creators and influencers and really appreciate their help too, but oftentimes, they are fortunate to go on all these trips and customers usually don’t. So how can we give back to customers?”
Liquid Death put a different spin on live events, bringing its VIP Liquid Death Country Club experience to the 2023 music festival scene. The tour hit Bonnaroo, Coachella, and other major music events. Members got access to free products, tattoos, and “horrorscope” readings.
“People love drinking Liquid Death at concerts. We’re huge with music venues,” says Andy Pearson, Liquid Death’s vice president of creative, adding that these events made for a natural brand fit.
6. Ask questions
The best way to understand what your customers want is to ask them. That’s where customer feedback comes in. When done right, it can unlock a gold mine of customer insights. No one knows this better than Grace Lee Chen, who founded Birdy Grey to connect bridesmaids with affordable dresses. Customer input was a driving force in developing the brand, which relied on everything from social media polls to traditional surveys to product reviews.
“We really analyze feedback so that we can serve the customer,” says Grace, who adds that Birdy Grey now has an Instagram broadcast channel that allows them to get direct insights from brides.
Kloo’s founders spent more than a year gathering feedback on products, sourcing, sustainable packaging, production, and logistics before launching. “We asked for lots and lots of feedback from customers,” Claudia says. “I would text them, email them, ask to speak to them on the phone.”
But what matters most is what you actually do with that feedback. Both Claudia and Grace used it to inform their next steps as a business. That may nudge you to adjust your marketing plan or tweak your offerings to better serve your customer base—and give you a leg up over the competition.
7. Add personal touches
One simple way to keep customers coming back is to make them feel special. To prevent each sale from feeling like an anonymous transaction, consider adding some personal touches to show your gratitude and welcome them to the brand. Their Jewelry, which specializes in sustainable, unisex accessories, provides a handwritten note with every order.
“Those personal touchpoints make you feel seen. They make you feel heard,” says cofounder Lauren Ludwig. “I just want everyone to have a really special experience when shopping with us, and I want them to know how much their order and their hard-earned money means to us.”
Jaxon Lane takes a page from the same book. “We’re competing with Amazon, right?” says Jen. “We have free shipping we’ll do for our customers that have ordered many times. We throw in surprise gifts for them. We write them handwritten notes. We do everything we can do to help our customers be successful in their skin care journey and just enjoy shopping with us.”
8. Expand your product line
A limited range of offerings could put a ceiling on your growth. Marc Barros, founder of Moment, doesn’t know if his business would be thriving today if he hadn’t expanded his product line. The brand first specialized in mobile photography equipment but has since branched out to lenses, accessories, digital courses, and more. This very much reflects the journey of its customers. Many started by filming videos on their phone but are now shooting on a camera or exploring filmmaking.
“It’s been fascinating seeing the growth of the customer evolution, and we’ve just grown Moment to keep up with it,” says Marc. “Otherwise, if we had stayed with probably the original five or six products, I’m not sure we’d still be here.”
When Kristen Pumphrey, cofounder of P.F. Candle, noticed a subsection of customers dropping off in favor of more luxury candles, she created a premium line to capture their attention. She also believes in the power of saying yes to opportunities—even if you aren’t sure how to do it. She did just that when Urban Outfitters asked P.F. Candle to make incense.
“And now incense is such a fast-growing product segment for us,” she says. “People are obsessed.” The company has also grown to sell reed diffusers, room and linen sprays, candle accessories, and more.
