How to build a strong customer base for a D2C brand
Online shopping in India started almost three decades ago around 1995. Since then, as the internet became more easily accessible to everyone, the reasons why it got used, changed drastically. Moreover, the pandemic that engulfed the world in the last two years also changed the way that Indians perceived online shopping. The attractive offers and ‘Cash on Delivery’ feature helped establish trust with the online portals, and soon it became a necessity.
Before discussing the key to becoming successful and building a strong base in the D2C brand, we need to understand what D2C is. D2C stands for Direct To Customer wherein a brand directly sells its products to the customers without taking the help of any other platform.
Here are some evergreen methods that will enable D2C brands to become successful:
Harness The Power Of Data
Research statistics speak in ways that a customer doesn’t. It’s important to gather data from all sources possible (surveys, online tracking, marketing analysis, social media, etc.), analyze the data, and implement the same through products and services. If you wish to stay at the top of your game, you have to start analyzing the insights.
Product, Service & Experience
Product, service & experience go hand in hand. For an amazing product, the service & experience should be supreme. Likewise, when you give great service, it’s of no use if the product and experience is not up to the mark. An amazing experience, when coupled with great product and service, becomes exceptional.
Staying Innovative
Whether you’re promoting your services or thinking about new offerings, innovation is important. The world is constantly evolving; and your brand should, too. Whether it is in your offerings or the way you market them, staying innovative will grab more eyeballs and keep your brand away from stagnation.
Show Your ‘Human Side’
While promoting a product, brands often miss out on showing the human side. When customers feel the human element missing in a product or service, it pushes them away from the brand. When you express the sensitive side of your brand, the brand’s personality is attributed to human qualities and it’s easier for customers to relate to.
Communicate with the ‘The King’
Companies that have treated their customers with exceptional service; have succeeded in creating a distinct Brand Identity and Customer Loyalty. It’s as important to listen to them as it is to talk to them.
A lot of brands focus their efforts on acquiring new customers. In due process; they lose out on catering to their existing and loyal customer base. With old/repeat customers, you have already crossed the stage of familiarisation with your brand.
Branding Is The Key
One of the key factors that have helped many brands survive in the pandemic is branding. If you have spent time and effort on building a brand, you will also find customers who are loyal to that brand. Customer loyalty is paramount; your brand gains repeat purchase value over other brands. Other perks of branding include customer recognition, consistency, credibility, improving company values, brand equity, and staying ahead of the competition.
Social Proofing
Social proofing is a concept that states that someone conforms in order to be liked and accepted by others. In other words, when you see an industry expert or a famous personality endorsing a product or service, you will be more inclined to give it a try. Social proofing has become a fairly common practice in today’s time and we can see brands roping in famous faces to endorse their products.
There are many ways to build a strong customer base in the online space but the above-mentioned points continue to remain some of the evergreen methods to do the same.
About the author:
Purvi & Rohit Pugalia, Co-Founders, This Or That