The Science of Loyalty

Intuit Mailchimp’s New Global Study Uncovers Fundamental Drivers of Consumer Behavior and Decision-Making Towards Brand Loyalty - Seite 2

While inspiring fandom may be the goal for many brands and marketers, only 13% of respondents belonged to the fandom loyalty group. Experts like Richard Shotton, author of The Illusion of Choice, caution that such affiliations can be extremely hard to cultivate and may not make sense for every brand. Most brands are likely to have a mix of all of these customers, and a good strategy should have tactical approaches that target different levels of commitment.

“I think a goal like loyalty, whereby people avoid better alternatives out of a sense of obligation or genuine passion, is phenomenally hard to achieve,” said Shotton. “The danger is that marketers overestimate their chances of achieving that and maybe convert their budget into smaller sales rather than [pursuing] the much, much simpler goal of habit.”

The 12 Tactics of Loyalty

To better understand the inner workings of loyalty, the report outlines “12 Tactics of Loyalty” to assist brands and marketers with building meaningful relationships with consumers.

1. Smart exposure: Be top-of-mind with strategically placed brand codes and symbols.
   Almost half (46%) of repeat purchasers said they know a lot about the brands they purchase from. This rises to 60% among Fandom purchasers, who feel they know the brand best.
2. Familiar foundations: Build familiarity by showing up in trusted spaces.
   About half (49%) of repeat purchasers said that recommendations from friends or family help them decide what to buy, rising to 72% among 18-24 year olds.
3. Choice validation: To encourage renewed commitment, help customers feel justified in their choice.
   Only 52% of inert customers and 51% of habitual had a very favorable opinion of their preferred brand, but this rises to 84% among fandom purchasers.
4. New routines: Build repeat purchases into your customer’s routine.
   Routines are powerful drivers of loyalty. 35% of those who purchase on a daily or weekly basis said their preferred brand was the only one they’d consider (vs 22% among those purchasing monthly or less).
5. Smooth selling: Remove obstacles that could disrupt customers' shopping journey.
   97% of repeat purchasers said their preferred brand makes it quick and easy to purchase.
6. Easy decisions: Create friction-free experiences that combat choice fatigue.
   47% of all email subscribers explore new product offerings through brand emails and 39% went on to make a purchase after reading the message.
7. Gift giving: Promote organic peer-to-peer marketing through gift giving.