Retaining Customer Loyalty in the Real World

Even as cash registers are ringing up the last of holiday sales, marketers are looking for ways to ring in the new year with continued momentum in building customer interest and loyalty. B2B or B2C, we are all hoping for good things in 2022. And as always happens at this time of year, we are already awash in recommendations on how to strengthen our customer connections. Here at OneScreen.ai, we have our own ideas about that.

OOH meets customers in the real world

Most “marketing leaders” seem to be focused on the same things – relationship-building, email campaigns, diving deeper into data and spiffing up your loyalty program. All good, but we think they’ve made a critical omission, overlooking another piece of the puzzle that has the power to transform your 2022 from pretty good to exceptional -- out-of-home advertising.

Adding OOH can enhance every aspect of your customer retention strategy. From outdoor billboards to indoor displays, OOH provides unique pizzazz. It stretches your budget with greater reach and boosts your digital marketing results and ROI. This holiday season has proven that customers of all ages are more than ready to shop (and play) in person once again. They are out and about, eyes open and just waiting to catch your message. It’s easy to predict that trend will continue.

So, how can OOH help you get more from the usual loyalty-building tactics?

1. Keeping your brand top-of-mind after the holidays.

Marketing experts like to point out that the holidays are revenue-critical, especially for retailers, so your goal should be to avoid the “inevitable” post-holiday slump. But the truth is that in today’s rapidly changing marketplace, building brand awareness is a 24/7/365 necessity. No matter your product, service or industry, if you aren’t constantly reinforcing your brand, you’re allowing a void that will be filled by others.

OOH has your back here, with big, bold visuals you can place where you know your target audience will be, on the road or around town.

2. Leveraging email campaigns.

A perennial favorite, email is a great way to stay engaged with holiday customers in the coming months. The data you’ve collected allows you to shape and target campaigns for specific segments. Beware, though, because at least some younger consumers are questioning their relationship with email. Nonetheless, email retains value and OOH advertising backs up your campaign with eye-catching reminders of your brand and/or offer.

3. Diving deeper into data to personalize engagement.

Online interactions with customers now provides a broad, deep wealth of information about who they are and how they shop. This can be a gold mine for marketers looking to keep up with customer demands for greater personalization because showing you care about individuals builds trust and loyalty. Once again, however, you’ll need to be wary. Data privacy concerns are increasing rapidly across all sectors, especially when it comes to digital advertising.

And once again, OOH offers up a fresh alternative that is easily and obviously visible yet never pops up in their face or drowns out content with unwanted advertising.

4. Refining loyalty programs.

Customer demands and preferences evolve, so it makes sense to review and revise your loyalty program to offer what’s most important to your customers right now. With OOH, you can kick it up a notch by promoting key loyalty perks to one and all. You can remind existing customers why they love your brand and entice new customers intrigued by your program. The ROI is obvious when you consider these facts:

• 75% of consumers choose companies that offer rewards
• 56% of customers stay loyal to brands which “get them”

Branding is good, sales are even better

Every business wants to increase brand awareness and customer loyalty, but the bottom line is just that – increased revenue. You want people to continue buying your products or services, routinely choosing you over the competition.

Feel-good advertising is important because it underscores your brand’s commitment to sustainability and other social or cultural issues that customers care about. OOH makes your point simply, clearly and boldly. But even the most socially-conscious shopper ultimately wants to know “WIIFM.” Once again, OOH can relate exactly that, with simple, clear, bold and entirely relevant messaging, delivered right where they are, out and about in the real world.