Branding: Creating an Experience for Your Customers

By guest contributor Mariah Danielsen. Photography by RoomForty.

Keep your customers coming back for more by creating a fun experience for them each time they encounter your brand. Here are three ways to do this:

1) Pretty Packaging

One way to create an experience for your customer is with your packaging. When someone receives a package from you, you want them to be wowed when they open the box. Special touches like washi tape, twine, and pretty wrapping - along with a special little note - will go a long way. It shows the buyer that you took some extra time to make the product special for them, and that you truly care about what you’re doing.

If you don’t have products that you ship to people, you can still wow them with your website and email correspondence. You can add special touches like a customer log-in. Here they can add custom mood boards and settings, or see other products they may like based on what they’ve done on your site previously. Services like these will create a special experience for your customer, and will keep them coming back.

2) Great Customer Service

Customer service is also key in the customer experience. Be timely with your email responses, pay the few extra dollars to track your packages for them, and be as professional and pleasant to work with as possible. Show that you’re thankful for each and every order and inquiry.

Another way to show great customer service is to reply to your blog comments and tweets from your readers and followers. Taking time to do this will make them feel special, and shows that you care about their thoughts and lives.

3) Give It Away

One other great way to provide a great customer experience is to give, give, give.

If you have products you send to customers, add in a little something extra every once in awhile. If someone wants a bulk order of specialty cards, throw in a few extra cards you think they’d like. You can also send your best customers special discounts and offers as a thank you for their loyalty.

On your blog, you can create fun worksheets, downloadables, and ebooks for your readers. The holidays are an especially fun time to create downloads on your blog,. You can grow your following by requesting that they give you their email address or like your page on Facebook to receive the download.

You can also team up with someone who has products that compliment yours and do a giveaway on your blog. Again, make sure you both get the benefit of new followers by requesting emails and likes.

Giving things away is a great way to celebrate your readers and customers. The giveaways don’t have to be elaborate, or take you much time to create. Your customers will appreciate your generosity.

Creating an experience in your brand will leave your customers feeling impressed, appreciated, and thankful. It will create an experience that will help turn your readers and followers into a loyal customer base for your business.

What brands create the best customer experience? Share your faves in the comments below.