User Experience and Brand Loyalty

10 reflections on retention from a decade of building eCommerce & SaaS businesses: ~~ 1. Most brands focus on acquisition. The best brands focus on retention. The difference? Profitability. 2. A second-time buyer is 5x more valuable than a new customer. Yet most brands don’t have a strategy to get that second purchase. 3. The fastest way to increase LTV? Make the next purchase a no-brainer. Default-on behaviors always win - “subscribe and save”. 4. Discounts kill retention. Cashback, memberships, and loyalty perks work better. The goal isn’t to win once—it’s to win forever. 5. The best retention strategies create habits—Prime, Starbucks Rewards, Apple’s ecosystem. If you have to remind customers you exist, you’ve already lost. 6. Retention starts before the first purchase. Customers who engage with content, quizzes, and community are 2-3x more likely to buy again. 7. A VIP customer doesn’t spend 10% more—they spend 10x more. Exclusive access, priority perks, and surprise gifts turn buyers into evangelists. 8. Community is the best retention strategy no one talks about. Private groups, live Q&As, and direct brand access keep customers engaged. 9. People leave when they feel unappreciated. A simple “thank you” email, handwritten note, or surprise upgrade goes further than any discount. 10. Retention isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about delivering real, consistent value that makes repeat purchases the obvious choice. Retention is the single most important metric you’re not paying enough attention to. Follow Josh Payne for more lessons on growth, retention, and scaling profitably.

Sometimes suffering needs a companion, other times it needs a solution. A community can help you get both. Bad puns aside, if you are a D2C brand focusing on niche solutions, you need to build community as a part of your offering. Let me explain why with example of a IVF clinic. We'll call it Beyond The Stork aka BTS. Let's understand the user PoV first! Imagine this - you are one half of a couple who is struggling with infertility issues. It's mentally exhausting, financially draining and definitely doesn't make up for a great tea time conversation. You are visiting doctors, trying all sorts of treatments but it's taking longer than you would want. You feel lonely and helpless and even though your inner circle is empathetic you don't have a support system because they can't relate to you. Cue: A community of people who share your pain, your struggles and have found success through the same doc/clinic/offering as the one you are being recommended now. Would you prefer BTS or rely on the ads that started showing up to you thanks to the non-stop intrusive listening of social media platforms? Quite a picture eh? Let's look at how you can utilise this behavioural insight and create communities with very specific biz objectives, without diluting the humanity of your customers!! 👉 Acquisition - Word of mouth is the most reliable source followed by user generated content (UGC) including reviews, tips and tricks to make the journey more bearable and a general support system who won't judge your users' 3am rant. 👉 Content & information distribution - A community, specially if it's a private kind is a safe space for people to open up and discuss things that matter. It also provides a venue for anyone in a fix trying to navigate the complex journey to parenthood. The same content may be utilized to create awareness on more public platforms across formats such as website articles, podcasts, social posts and success stories. 👉 Product and feature request - Building is hard, getting real insight into user behavior is harder. Communities allow you to get the pulse of users because of the pull mechanism. You can analyse data, understand patterns in the discussions and interactions. An already engaged person will have a higher motivation to share feedback than whatever controlled group study you conduct.While I have taken an example of a fertility clinic, the fundamental idea will apply to everything niche. What do you think? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi, I am Nipun - a lifelong community first founder with a successful exit to my name. If you are exploring communities for your app, want to understand the right use case or want to figure out community strategy, slide into my DMs. We can help you integrate social community features in your app in way lesser time than it takes to determine if IVF is a suitable solution for someone or not.

What are brands lacking the most these days? Great After-Sales Service. Why does this matter? As a customer, there is nothing more frustrating than being put on hold for what feels like an eternity, only to be directed to browse a website's FAQ section or chatbot. We, as customers, want accountability when something does not go right. Mistakes happen, that’s true. But what really builds loyalty is how brands handle those mistakes and turn inconveniences into positive experiences. A personal example that impressed me is Chewy 😸 We recently bought a cat tree that arrived with a missing part, making it impossible to assemble it. When we called Chewy's customer service, we were instantly connected with a rep, and they offered us quick solutions - a refund or a brand new cat tree shipped free of charge, with no need to return the faulty one. We chose the new cat tree, which now happily sits in our home as our cat’s favorite sleeping spot. That seamless, empathetic handling really won me over. What I believe all brands should prioritize in customer service: - Fast and direct communication options - Real customer service reps handling the complaints, rather than solely relying on websites, FAQs, or chatbots - Minimal wait times and no endless keypad navigation just to "talk to an agent" - Quick, hassle-free solutions when customers face genuine issues Of course, I understand businesses need to balance customer care with financial realities. Still, I’m seeing gradual improvements in many brands’ customer service, and that’s definitely a win. What are your thoughts? Have you had any memorable customer service experiences lately? #customer #service #business #customerservice #consumer #chewy #brands #loyalty #contentbyshikha

The world preaches loyalty, but how many brands actually live it? Last month, I got an invite to something called Summer Smash, 1st Phorm International's invite-only community event in St. Louis. Think three days of HQ tours, private pre-parties, high-energy workouts, rides, and live music from artists like Ludacris, Lil' Jon, Pitbull, and Steve Aoki. The whole thing sells out in under a minute each year. Pure community building at it's finest. I couldn't make it due to personal obligations, but here's what blew me away: they still sent me a surprise box packed with over 10 of their top products (proteins, apparel, energy drinks, protein sticks), plus a handwritten note that felt genuinely personal, not like a marketing ploy. We've gotten so caught up in digital tactics that we've forgotten about the power of high-touch moments that forge actual emotional connections. This kind of follow-through is almost unheard of in today's brand world. Most companies would've moved on to the next person on their list. But 1st Phorm gets something that a lot of brands miss: real loyalty isn't built through campaigns or offers, it's built through experiences that make people feel like they belong to something bigger. That's where lifetime value really takes off. Summer Smash is far beyond just an event; it's the kind of experience that flips the loyalty script entirely, where customers don't just buy, they simply belong. Here's what I think other brands can learn from this approach: ➟ Send unexpected value for no reason. A surprise product or handwritten note shows customers they matter beyond their purchase history. ➟ Build exclusive communities around shared values, not just products. Whether it's in-person events or virtual experiences, give your best customers something they can't get anywhere else. ➟ Create moments people actually talk about. A few hours with A-list talent or behind-the-scenes access beats another discount code every time. ➟ Lead with gratitude, not growth metrics. When thank-you moments drive your strategy instead of the other way around, authenticity follows naturally. The bottom line: loyalty is earned through emotion, experience, and belonging. If your brand isn't building that, you're just another transaction in someone's day. When did you last surprise your customers with something that wasn't even on your roadmap?

Most PMs talk features. I care about friction. You can ship a dozen features, redesign the homepage twice, and still have users ghost your product. Why? Because the experience quietly drains them. Micro-frustrations add up. And no one logs them in JIRA. Here’s my 4-question Friction Audit I run on every product I touch: 1. Where are users pausing? ⏸️ That pause isn’t indecision — it’s resistance. Watch recordings. Identify the freeze points. 2. What’s making them think twice? 🤔 Are your buttons, flows, or labels forcing decisions before trust is built? 3. How many dead ends exist? 🚧 Every unclear CTA, broken link, or weird back button creates a silent exit. 4. Are we over-designing trust? 🔒 Long forms, excess onboarding, unnecessary “safety” features = drop-offs. You don’t need more features. You need to remove what gets in the way. That’s what growth looks like. → What questions do YOU ask when you audit user flow?

Everyone talks about building a customer-centric culture, but how do you actually make it happen? After years of seeing what works (and what doesn’t), I’ve noticed even the best leaders hit the same roadblocks on their way to true customer centricity. The good news? Small shifts make a big difference. Here are three key barriers and ways to overcome them: 1. Being too focused on internal metrics. It’s natural to prioritize business goals, but if the customer isn’t top of mind, your decisions can drift off course. Consider every change from the customer’s perspective to keep your team aligned. 2. Not getting the whole team on board. Customer experience isn’t just a task for your support team—it’s a company-wide commitment. One thing I’ve learned is that when the whole team buys into that mindset, it changes how you operate. It’s up to leaders to make sure everyone understands how their role impacts the customer journey. 3. Collecting feedback but not acting on it. Feedback is a powerful tool, but only if it leads to action. I always encourage my team to see it as an opportunity to grow and improve—after all, it’s coming straight from the people we’re here to serve. Building a customer-centric culture takes focus, but the payoff is real. By keeping your team aligned and tackling these barriers, you’ll foster stronger relationships and lasting loyalty. 💪

Consistency creates trust. Say what you will do. Do what you said you would. Reliability. Consistency. Whatever you call it, it is a customer experience superpower. When a brand is clear about what its customers can expect, and then it delivers on those expectations with its product, its service, its experience, that is consistency. That builds trust. ✈ Southwest Airlines is a great example. 💺 No seat assignments. You know this when you book with them. 2️⃣ checked bags for free. You know this as well. Guess what? They didn’t used to advertise about 2 free checked bags. Because 10 years ago, that wasn’t special. Now, with all the other airlines charging, Southwest has a new point of differentiation. Because of their consistency. While The Southwest experience is changing, it is changing in a predictable way. It does not feel like a moving target. How do you create consistency in your customer experience? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 👇 And here are 5 steps to follow to build trust through consistency: 🔷Start with the end in mind. What do your customers expect from you? 🔷Identify experience elements that meet those customer expectations. Ask yourself, What can we consistently deliver that will meet our customers’ expectations? 🔷Set customers’ expectations appropriately. Make promises about what you will consistently deliver. 🔷Keep those promises with your experience. Obvious, but make sure you’re keeping your promises the vast majority of the time. 🔷Apologize and rectify when you don’t keep your promises. This reinforces that unkept promises are rare exceptions, not signs of a new pattern. If you are showing up consistently, setting expectations for an experience that customers want, and keeping those expectations in most instances, then the exceptions stay exceptions. And, in fact, they’re service recovery opportunities that reinforce the fact that you usually do keep your promises, and that you take it seriously when you don’t keep your promises. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

How do you get churned customers ... back? Reactivations are when previously churned customers come back and start paying again. Reactivations are way too often overlooked, but they can be a meaningful lever for growth if you approach them strategically. Our B2C friends often obsess over there, but in B2B, we rarely approach getting customers back as broadly and strategically as we could. RevenueCat manages 40% of all mobile apps subscriptions, across 10,000+ paid apps. What does it see? 12% of lapsed paying customers … come back later. Most are more B2B2C that B2B, but the point still holds. 👉 In B2B, about 8-12% of churned customers tend to come back, depending on your business model and how well you nurture them after they leave. That’s a big enough number to make it worth your time. To drive reactivations, you need a dedicated strategy: #1. Drip Campaigns for Churned Customers Set up a series of emails or messages targeted specifically at churned customers. Space them out—every 60-90 days is a good cadence. Highlight new features, improvements, or anything that addresses the reasons they left in the first place. #2. Invite Them to Events Webinars, product launches, or even customer success stories can help keep you top of mind. It’s about reminding them why they liked your product in the first place. #3. Offer a Low-Risk Reentry Sometimes, churned customers just need a nudge. Offer them a free trial or a discounted rate to come back. Make it easy for them to re-engage without a big commitment upfront. #4. Focus on High NPS Customers: If your product has a high Net Promoter Score (NPS), you already know many of your customers liked or even loved your product. These are the ones most likely to come back if you stay in touch and show them the value they’re missing . #5. Treat Them Well When They Leave. This is critical. And too often, done wrong these days. Let them go gracefully—don’t play games with their data or make it hard to cancel. If you treat them well on the way out, they’re more likely to come back when the timing is right. Reactivations are especially valuable because they often come with lower CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost). You’ve already built some trust with these customers, and they’re familiar with your product. The key is to stay patient and consistent—reactivations can take months or even years, especially in enterprise B2B. But if you play the long game, they can be a meaningful part of your growth strategy.

Consistency in community-led Go-to-Market (GTM) doesn't mean bombarding. After observing countless product communities, here's a revelation: To 10x your community-led GTM efforts, it's sometimes more effective to... focus less on frequency and more on quality. 1. Pre-launch co-creation ↳ Involve your potential community early. Co-create the product, from features to marketing. This builds ownership and excitement. ↳ Example: Figma engaged designers early through access programs, allowing feedback that shaped development, ensuring it met user needs. 2. Gamified onboarding ↳ Replace boring tutorials with engaging, game-like experiences. Points, badges, and rewards make learning about your product fun and rewarding. ↳ Example: Grammarly boosts engagement with "daily goals" and streaks, fostering a habit of good writing practices through a fun, rewarding system. 3. Micro-influencer partnerships ↳ Leverage micro-influencers within your community. Their genuine connection with followers can authentically showcase your product's value. ↳ Example: Ahrefs partners with industry bloggers and micro-influencers for tutorials and reviews, effectively expanding brand awareness and trust within the SEO community. 4. Community-driven knowledge base ↳ Encourage users to build the knowledge base. User-generated content and peer-to-peer support enhance engagement and collective wisdom. ↳ Example: Zapier leverages its community forum for users to exchange automation workflows and solutions, enhancing the platform's value through collective wisdom. This approach doesn't require daily actions but involves strategic, meaningful engagement that fosters a strong, vibrant community around your product. Remember, quality over quantity always wins. ❤️♻️ P.S. How often do you engage with your community? I think we should aim for meaningful interactions 4-5 times a week. __ 📌 If you found this helpful, reshare this to your network and follow me Joseph Abraham for daily Go-to-market insights, frameworks, tools, and tips

One of the biggest takeaways I spotted from Intuit Mailchimp’s analysis of the 2024 holiday shopping season is that the new year is ripe with new opportunities to drive loyalty. Here’s why → 64% of orders from Mailchimp customers with connected stores came from new customers during Cyber Weekend 2024. That's a huge opportunity to grow your loyal customer base! And research we produced with Canvas8 tells us that the best kept secret to driving loyalty is actually grounded in science. Our Loyalty Wheel reveals 4 key drivers of loyalty: 1. Reward: Our brains love rewards. Create a sense of reciprocity by offering exclusive deals, personalized discounts, or early access to new products. 2. Memory: Make it easy for customers to remember (and repeat!) positive experiences with your brand. Design a frictionless customer journey, offer subscriptions for frequently purchased items, and send well-timed reminders. 3. Emotion: Foster an emotional connection that goes beyond transactional exchanges. Align your brand with causes your customers care about, share authentic stories, and build a sense of community. 4. Social Interaction: Encourage customers to share their love for your brand with friends and family. Create opportunities for user-generated content, run refer-a-friend programs, or host exclusive events. And here's how to put it all into action: 🎉 Surprise and delight: Gift your customers with unexpected rewards. And just not generic discounts. Offer exclusive experiences or partner with like-minded brands to create unique offers. 🛝 Streamline every touchpoint: Remove friction in the customer journey with automation. From browsing to purchasing to post-purchase support, make it easy and enjoyable to do business with your brand. 🎯 Prioritize personalization: Craft your messaging and build authentic connections. Use data and AI analysis to understand your customers' values and preferences and use those insights to create content that resonates. 🤗 Give VIP treatment: Make your customers feel like VIPs. Give them early access to new products, invite them to exclusive events, or feature them on your social media channels. Download Mailchimp and Canvas8’s The Science of Loyalty and The Strategic Loyalty Playbook for a deep dive into the science, complete with actionable strategies and inspiring examples: https://bit.ly/49FJayO Make 2025 the year of the loyal customer. You got this.