Building Customer Loyalty with Automation
Automation is linked to the building of customer loyalty in business. Because the system is built to support consistent communication with clients, many business owners choose automation when developing marketing campaigns. Customer loyalty is one reason for a company’s success. And this is why marketing professionals and business owners rely on marketing strategies to create and maintain that loyalty.
Automation and Customer Loyalty
In our earlier post about increasing customer satisfaction with automation, we discussed what automation was and how implementing an alternative to automation (sending personalized handwritten mail using a similar system) can keep customers happy and inevitably build their loyalty in your brand. One positive associated with implementing automation in business is that it reduces the chances of errors and it helps businesses stay in contact with their customers efficiently. But the one thing that is a drawback is how impersonal computerized communication can be.
In a Harvard Business Review article about avoiding the four perils of CRM (marketing automation) it was proven that while CRM can increase customer loyalty it can also do the opposite when you have a set-it-and-forget-it view on the process.
“Our research suggests that one reason CRM backfires is that most executives simply don’t understand what they are implementing, let alone how much it costs and how long it will take…more specifically, our research shows that many executives stumble into one or more of four pitfalls while trying to implement CRM. Each of these pitfalls is a consequence of a single flawed assumption—that CRM is a software tool that will manage customer relationships for you.”
In other words, to maintain customer relationships and nurture them so they turn to loyal advocates, you’ll need to do more. Handwritten direct mail has been proven to not only attract new customers, it’s been linked to increased response rates and building customer loyalty. But hand-addressed mail takes time and energy to create. For business owners who want the benefits of having a system like automation for their business but want something more humanized, outsourcing the responsibility of handwriting their direct mail is the solution.
Handwritten Direct Mail and Customer Loyalty
Studies and research have confirmed how sending handwritten direct mail to customers can be effective. Whether it’s as handwritten letters, handwritten thank you notes, or a hand addressed envelope, when recipients receive hand-addressed mail from a brand it makes an impact. It’s not enough to attract customers. You need to implement ways to encourage them to return. And this can be done through customer loyalty strategies using handwritten direct mail.
In a study aimed at increasing physician responses to surveys found that personalizing mailings by including additions like handwritten notes resulted in higher response rates. In several of the studies, it was determined that including incentives and personalization to mail encouraged physicians to respond.
Sending handwritten mail like thank you notes to your loyalists (your longtime customers) are ways to strengthen customer loyalty. And saying thank you via a handwritten note after a customer’s first purchase is another way to stand out from your competitors. You’ll show gratitude for your customer’s interest in your brand and they’ll remember your company the next time they need a solution that your product or service provides.
Do you like the benefits of automation but also want a personal way to communicate with your customers?
Letter Friend can help! Our staff of writers will assist with creating personalized handwritten mail that will make an impact and help build customer loyalty in your brand.
To get started, fill out our Free Quote and we will reach out to work with you today.