Building customer loyalty is essential to the long-term health of your business.

Loyal customers are repeat customers. And repeat customers are the ones that keep your business on solid ground as you grow.

So, this leads to an important question: what’s the best way to build customer loyalty?

While there are many strategies to employ, here are five steps any company – regardless of industry and size – can take:

1. Engage and Communicate

A big part of building loyalty is engaging with your customers. Some of the best ways of doing so include:

• Direct mail
• Email marketing
• Newsletter
• Social media

When you regularly engage with your audience, it’s easier to keep open the lines of communication.

2. Provide Perks

There’s no better way to build customer loyalty than by providing perks.

For example, if you own a restaurant, send coupons each month to your customers. Not only do these bring them back through the door, but it also shows them how much you care about your relationship.

3. Focus on Customer Service

There is more to customer service than meets the eye.

How do you answer the phone when a customer or prospect calls? What steps do you take when a customer comes to you with a complaint?

There are many steps you can take to surpass customer expectations, and it’s critical to work these into your day-to-day activities.

A dedication to customer service proves to your audience that you care about their experience.

4. Be Friendly and Respectful at All Times

The easiest way to kill loyalty is to lose respect for your customers. This can be something as simple as:

• Taking an angry or uninterested tone with a customer
• Putting off their concerns in hopes that they’ll go away
• Placing the blame on the customer if something goes wrong

A friendly and respectful person is someone your customers will want to work with. Make sure you, as well as all your employees, keep this in mind at all times.

5. Take Advantage of Feedback

When was the last time you conducted a customer survey? Do you make it a habit to monitor brand mentions on social media? How do you approach online reviews?

Feedback, both positive and negative, can help you grow as a company. It’s also essential to building loyalty, as it allows you to adjust your approach to better suit your customers in the future.

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!