Kate Sanders loves a product called Blender Bombs because the company, which sells smoothie boosters, adds a note from its founder, Helen Hall, to each of its products.
Sanders, COO, partner, and lead strategist of the Alison South Marketing Group was one of the speakers at the Business Recharge Event, a business expo hosted by Augusta Business Daily yesterday at the Kroc Center. The title of her presentation was “Utilizing Your Loyalty Loop to Create Recurring Customers.”
Alison South creates marketing campaigns for companies of various sizes.
“There’s some sort of personal touch, and people want that,” she said. “People want to feel like they’re part of a community.”
Sanders said because of Covid, it’s now more important than ever for businesses to build authentic connections with their customers. One of the most powerful ways to do that is by creating professional videos that draw customers to your brand.
“Humanize your brand through storytelling,” she said.
That advice particularly resonated with Heather Ferrante, Relocation and Business Development Director for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
“You have such a short amount of time to convey what you want to portray to your customers,” Ferrante said.
Sanders also discussed the sales funnel, a marketing tool that’s been used by companies since 1898 to convert prospective clients into loyal customers. She also described the customer loyalty loop, which describes how customers decide what products to buy and whether they continue to buy those products.
According to Sanders, there are three ways to create a loyalty loop:
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Raise anticipation
She shared the example of Domino’s, which has the Pizza Tracker that allows customers to track every step of their food orders from preparation to delivery. Sanders said she gets an endorphin rush when she sees her pizzas are on their way to her door.
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Maximize the honeymoon phase
The honeymoon phase occurs right after a customer makes a purchase. “In-home sales, that’s right after closing and before they make their first payment,” she said. That’s the perfect time for real estate agents to build loyalty by staying connected to their clients.
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Re-inspire and create trigger moments/moments of inspiration
Sanders said this is an effective way companies can develop customer loyalty. Examples include offering 50 percent off sales or points for buying products and services.
She said effective marketing uses many types of media, such as billboards and vehicle wraps, to reach potential customers.
“To become a prime brand, you have to be in different places,” Sanders said.
