Myth 2: Personalised content builds loyalty
It’s not that personalised content doesn’t work, it’s that it is often done badly. In fact, research shows that customers say being treated like a person, not a number, is very important to winning their business.
These days nobody is impressed by seeing their name in an email. To today’s consumer, personalised means relevant. They want recommendations and offers based on their shopping history and preferences. If you can do this effectively, your customers will feel that you care about their shopping experience, and they’ll be more likely to spend more and keep coming back.
A great way to generate relevant content and build loyalty is to encourage shoppers to contribute with their own photos and reviews. Many brands—particularly in the fashion, leisure and homecare sectors—have done this very successfully. As well as providing other visitors with valuable content, it increases the connection between you and those contributing.
Brands like Lidl and REMA 1000 have taken the opposite approach. They rely less on loyalty cards and buy-one-get-one-free promotions, making the lack of gimmicks central to their brand promise instead. This has established a loyal following of customers that trust them to offer “always low” prices.
You might not have the same level of influence as those brands, but you can still learn from their approach. Decide what you want to be known for and stick to it. Consistency is a great way to build trust, and consequently loyalty.