15 Strategies to Increase and Maintain Customer Loyalty

Customer loyalty strategies turn one-time buyers into repeat purchasers. By defining what loyalty means for your brand and grouping your most devoted fans, you can tailor retention strategies that deepen emotional connection and boost customer satisfaction. In this guide, we’ll show you how to set your loyalty benchmarks, segment existing customers, and map out proven tactics to increase customer loyalty across every touchpoint.

How to Define Customer Loyalty for Your Business

Customer loyalty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Before you launch a rewards program or referral campaign, decide which outcomes matter most:

• Regularity of Custom: How often do customers buy? Brands with subscription models or automated reorder reminders see a 2–3× boost in purchase frequency​.

• Average Order Value (AOV): Do buyers spend more with each visit? Companies using tiered loyalty programs report a 45% increase in AOV after adding points-based incentives​.

• Advocacy: Who recommends you to friends? Since 92% of consumers trust word-of-mouth above ads, advocacy drives low-cost acquisition and authentic growth​.

• Long-Term Value (CLV): What is a customer worth over time? A mere 5% lift in retention can raise profits by 25–95%, making CLV a critical loyalty benchmark​.

• Engagement: How often do customers interact - opening emails, joining events, or leaving feedback? High engagement correlates with deeper emotional connection and repeat business.

By defining which of these goals - frequency, spend, advocacy, lifetime value, or engagement - matters most, you set clear targets for your customer loyalty strategies. For example, if your focus is regularity, you might prioritize subscription perks. If advocacy is key, you’ll invest more in social referral programs.

Categorizing Your Loyal Customers

Not all loyal customers behave the same. By grouping them, you can tailor customer loyalty strategies and rewards programs more effectively. Here are six common segments.

1. Transactional Loyalists

These customers return for convenience or deals. They chase points and free shipping. To shore up loyalty, offer time-limited bonuses and clear value in your loyalty program.

2. Emotional Loyalists

They stick with you out of genuine brand love. Foster this segment with stories that align to your values and invite them into your brand community for deeper connection.

3. Habitual Loyalists

Routine drives their purchases. Subscription models or “restock” reminders keep them on track. Automated reorder points in your CRM ensure you capture their repeat business.

4. Advocacy Loyalists

Your top advocates share on social media and write glowing reviews. Reward them through exclusive referral programs and VIP perks to amplify brand advocacy.

5. Engagement Loyalists

They fill out surveys and join events, giving vital customer feedback. Involve them in beta tests and co-creation panels to refine products or services and strengthen loyalty.

6. Models of Customer Loyalty

For a deeper dive into frameworks like the Apostle Model or Customer Loyalty Ladder, check out our detailed guide on customer loyalty models. Linking these theories to your segmentation sharpens your retention strategies and ensures each group gets the right treatment.

15 Strategies to Increase Customer Loyalty

Your loyal customers didn’t become repeat purchasers by accident. They stayed because brands met - and exceeded - their needs at every turn. Below are seven battle-tested strategies to build customer loyalty, each backed by data and designed to deepen customer relationships.

1. Engage with Your Customers Throughout the Journey

Loyalty isn’t won at checkout - it’s earned from first click to post-purchase support. Map out every touchpoint: awareness, consideration, purchase, onboarding, and renewal. Deliver personalized content, targeted emails, and timely tips that make customers feel valued. According to PwC, 86% of consumers will pay up to 25% more for a better experience, showing that consistent engagement boosts customer satisfaction and repeat business.

Segment your emails by lifecycle stage - send “Welcome” guides to new joiners, “How-To” tips mid-cycle, and re-order reminders before subscriptions lapse. Use CRM triggers to celebrate anniversaries or reward milestones. When customers feel understood at every step, your customer retention rate climbs and your brand secures a place in their routines.

2. Excel in Customer Service

Nothing derails loyalty faster than poor support. Exceptional customer service turns a one-off purchase into a long-term relationship. Salesforce reports that 61% of buyers will spend more after a positive service interaction.

Train your frontline to resolve issues swiftly and with empathy. Offer 24/7 live chat, clear escalation paths, and follow-up surveys to capture customer feedback. Empower agents with a unified customer data view, so they can reference past orders and preferences in real time. By prioritizing excellent customer service and closing the loop on every inquiry, you reinforce trust and keep existing customers coming back.

3. Use Loyal Customers to Recruit More Loyal Customers

Your happiest buyers are your best marketers. Referral and advocacy programs leverage this by rewarding customers for sharing your brand. Nielsen found that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over ads.

Launch a referral program that grants points or discounts to both referrer and referee. Make sharing frictionless with one-click invites via email, SMS, or social links. Highlight top advocates in your newsletter or social channels to spark friendly competition. By tapping into personal networks, you lower acquisition costs and build a self-reinforcing cycle of repeat customers.

4. Communicate and Stick to Your Values

Consumers increasingly buy from brands that mirror their beliefs. A Harvard Business School study shows 64% of consumers will choose or avoid brands based on social and environmental stands.

Define clear brand values - whether sustainability, diversity, or local sourcing - and weave them into every communication. Share behind-the-scenes stories on social media, spotlight ethical sourcing in product descriptions, and invite feedback on your impact initiatives. When customers see you “walk the talk,” they deepen their emotional connection and become more likely to champion your brand.

5. Build a Community Around Your Brand

A thriving community turns customers into collaborators. Forums, social groups, and local events create spaces for peer support, feedback, and advocacy. According to research, 60% of consumers feel more loyal to brands that foster community engagement.

Host regular virtual meetups, Q&A sessions, or user-generated content contests. Encourage members to share tips, unboxings, or success stories with a branded hashtag. Reward top contributors with exclusive badges, early-access passes, or VIP customer loyalty program perks. This sense of belonging fuels advocacy and deepens long-term relationships.

6. It May Sound Obvious, but Launch a Loyalty Program

Well-designed rewards programs give structure to your retention efforts. According to Bond’s Loyalty Report, 95% of consumers belong to at least one loyalty program, and members spend up to 67% more than non-members.

Choose a model - points, tiered, paid membership - that aligns with your brand and customer goals. Define clear earn-and-burn mechanics, and keep the rewards relevant (free shipping, birthday gifts, exclusive access). Promote program benefits at every touchpoint: website banners, checkout prompts, and post-purchase emails. A visible, valuable loyalty program keeps customers engaged and spending.

7. Create an Omnichannel Loyalty Experience

Loyalty should follow customers wherever they engage - online, in-app, and in-store. Aberdeen Group found that brands with strong omnichannel engagement see a 9.5% revenue uplift year over year.

Integrate your loyalty platform with e-commerce, POS systems, mobile apps, and call centers. Allow points earning and redemption across all channels. Sync customer profiles so purchases made in-store instantly reflect in their online account. Unified messaging reminds members of points balances and upcoming rewards, driving repeat visits and seamless experiences that reinforce loyalty.

8. Create Value for Loyal Customers

Loyal buyers expect more than basic perks. Offer exclusive access - early product drops, VIP webinars, or members-only events - to deepen emotional connection. Personalized rewards, like anniversary gifts or custom bundles, show you know each customer. According to Deloitte, 60% of consumers feel more valued when brands personalize rewards, boosting loyalty and repeat business.

9. Gamify Your Loyalty Experience

Gamification taps into customers’ love of achievement. Add badges, progress bars, and time-bound challenges that reward actions - purchases, reviews, or social shares. Brands using gamified loyalty see 47% higher engagement and a 22% lift in repeat visits compared to non-gamified programs. Fun mechanics keep members coming back for more.

10. Include Tiers in Your Loyalty Programs

Tiered loyalty programs motivate customers to climb for better benefits. Sephora’s Beauty Insider moves members through Insider, VIB, and Rouge levels, each unlocking new perks. Research shows 74% of consumers engage more when clear tiers and milestones guide their journey. Display progress bars and send alerts when members near the next level.

11. Create FOMO for Non-Loyal Customers

Fear of missing out drives urgency. Tactics like low-stock alerts, countdown timers, and flash sales can increase conversions by up to 332% when used in product descriptions. Show non-loyal customers what they’ll miss - limited-time bonus points or member-only deals - to nudge them toward joining your loyalty program.

12. Focus on Solutions Over Just Products

Customers stay loyal when you solve real problems. Shift messaging from features to outcomes: how your product or service eases pain points. Offer how-to content, troubleshooting guides, and proactive check-ins to reinforce your role as a trusted partner. This solutions-first approach builds deeper customer relationships and supports long-term retention.

13. Regularly Request and Act on Feedback

Soliciting input shows you care - and acting on it seals the deal. 63% of consumers say companies need to get better at listening, and 60% would spend more if brands acted on their suggestions. Use surveys, in-app polls, and social listening. Then, share updates - “You Asked, We Delivered” - to demonstrate that feedback drives real change.

14. Focus on Maintaining Loyalty, Not Just Rewarding It

Most brands reward points and send generic offers. Go further by nurturing ongoing relationships. Celebrate customer milestones, share behind-the-scenes updates, and check in regularly - not just when points are expiring. Consistent communication keeps your brand top of mind and reinforces the emotional connection beyond transactional rewards.

15. Leverage Social Media

Social channels amplify loyalty through authentic engagement. Highlight user-generated content, repost customer stories, and host live Q&A sessions. MIT research shows that displaying real-time purchase activity can boost conversions by 15%, tapping into social proof and urgency. Encourage members to share their loyalty journeys with a branded hashtag to deepen community and spread word-of-mouth.

Ways to Measure Your Level of Customer Loyalty

Accurate metrics guide your customer retention strategies and show how well your loyalty efforts pay off. Here are ten key measures:

1. Customer Retention Rate

What it is: The percentage of customers who continue buying over a given period you decide when calculating - but typically per 12 months.

Why it matters: A 5% lift in retention can boost profits by 25–95%, since keeping existing customers costs far less than acquiring new ones.

2. Repeat Purchase Rate

What it is: The share of customers who make more than one purchase.

Why it matters: Repeat buyers spend 67% more on average than first-time shoppers, fueling higher revenue per customer.

3. Churn Rate

What it is: The percentage of customers lost during a period (the inverse of retention).

Why it matters: Subscription businesses face a median monthly churn of 5.6%, underscoring the need for proactive retention strategies to protect recurring revenue.

4. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

What it is: The total revenue a customer generates over their relationship with you.

Why it matters: Even a 5% increase in CLV can deliver 25–95% higher profits, showing CLV is a critical loyalty benchmark.

5. Net Promoter Score (NPS)

What it is: Customers’ likelihood (0–10) to recommend your brand.

Why it matters: Companies with NPS above 50 grow revenue twice as fast as competitors, linking advocacy directly to business growth.

6. Cohort Analysis

What it is: Tracking groups of customers (by sign-up month, channel, etc.) over time.

Why it matters: Cohorts reveal which acquisition sources or retention tactics yield the strongest repeat business, guiding optimized customer retention strategies.

7. Customer Satisfaction Surveys (CSAT)

What it is: Direct feedback on a specific interaction (rated on a scale).

Why it matters: 86% of consumers say they’d pay more for an excellent experience, linking service quality to loyalty and higher spend (PwC).

8. Customer Feedback & Reviews

What it is: Online ratings and comments.

Why it matters: 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Positive reviews drive SEO and influence new buyers.

9. Referral Rate

What it is: The percentage of customers who refer friends.

Why it matters: 92% of consumers trust peer referrals over ads, meaning each happy customer can become a low-cost acquisition channel.

10. Loyalty Program Participation

What it is: The share of customers enrolled in your loyalty program.

Why it matters: 95% of consumers belong to at least one program, and members spend up to 67% more, highlighting program enrolment as a key loyalty indicator.

Putting Customer Loyalty Hand in Hand with Retention

Customer loyalty and retention are two sides of the same coin. Retention metrics tell you who stays; loyalty strategies tell you why they stay. Here’s how to align the two for maximum impact:

1. Map Metrics to Strategies

Use the metrics above to pinpoint weak spots. If churn is high, deploy targeted win-back campaigns with personalized offers. Low NPS? Invest in customer service training and satisfaction surveys to unearth pain points.

2. Design Retention-First Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs should do more than award points. Build features - such as milestone bonuses and tiered perks - that directly boost CLV and repeat purchase rate. By linking program rewards to retention goals, you ensure each customer interaction drives business outcomes.

3. Close the Feedback Loop

Regularly collect CSAT scores, NPS, and open-text feedback. Then, publicly share improvements - “You asked, we delivered” - to demonstrate you value customers’ input. This transparency deepens emotional connection and solidifies retention.

4. Personalize Across Channels

Omnichannel engagement not only earns points but also keeps existing customers connected. Sync loyalty data across CRM, website, mobile app, and in-store. A unified view lets you send timely reminders, relevant offers, and re-engagement campaigns that reinforce loyalty and reduce churn.

5. Monitor and Iterate

Set regular reviews of your loyalty and retention metrics. Use cohort analysis to see how new program features impact different segments. Continuously refine program offers, communication cadence, and service levels based on real-time data - transforming customer loyalty into sustainable growth.

By measuring loyalty with clear metrics and feeding insights back into retention strategies, you create a virtuous cycle: more loyal customers drive lower churn, higher CLV, and stronger brand advocacy. This integrated approach is your best path to lasting customer relationships and predictable revenue.