If you could create your own fantasy board of directors, who would be on it? CO— connects you with thought leaders from across the business spectrum and asks them to help solve your biggest business challenges. In this edition, we ask the co-founder of a marketing agency to reveal her tips on how to create customer loyalty.
In this edition of “Ask the Board,” we feature Amy Hage, Co-founder of Strategy Maven Agency, which creates email and SMS marketing strategies for D2C brands. Her agency partners with food, beverage, fashion, beauty, health, wellness, and skincare brands handling everything from subscriber acquisition to retention.
Despite the fact that acquiring a new customer costs five times more than keeping an existing one, Amy often sees businesses throwing money at Facebook ads while completely ignoring the customers already in their database.
After working with hundreds of brands, she’s learned that customer loyalty isn't built through discount codes or points programs—though those don't hurt. Real loyalty comes from creating experiences that make people feel understood, valued, and genuinely excited to be part of your brand's story.
The businesses crushing it right now aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets. They're the ones who've figured out how to turn every customer interaction into an opportunity to strengthen the relationship. Here are Amy’s tips on how you can do the same.
Map every single touchpoint (even the boring ones)
Most brands focus on the “sexy” parts of the customer journey—the Instagram ad, the slick website, and the purchase confirmation. But at the end of the day, loyalty lives in the mundane moments that happen after the sale.
I worked with an e-commerce client who was hemorrhaging customers after their first purchase. When we mapped their complete customer journey, we discovered the problem wasn't their product—it was their radio silence for three weeks after purchase, followed by a generic "rate us" email. They weren’t actually contacting customers when they needed to the most.
We redesigned their post-purchase sequence to include shipping updates with personality, care instructions that felt helpful rather than pushy, and a "how's it going?" check-in two weeks later. Their repeat purchase rate jumped 34% in six months.
The lesson? Map everything—from the thank you page to the packaging experience to the support ticket process. Every touchpoint is either building loyalty—or eroding it.
Use data to show you actually pay attention
Personalization isn't about stuffing someone's first name into an email subject line. It's about demonstrating that you've been paying attention to how they interact with your brand.
One of my favorite examples comes from a client in the fitness space. Instead of sending generic "workout tips" to their entire list, they started segmenting based on actual behavior. People who consistently opened emails got deeper content. People who'd made multiple purchases got early access to new programs. People who'd gone quiet got "we miss you" messages with genuine value, not desperate discounts.
The result? Their email engagement rates doubled, and more importantly, customer lifetime value increased by 67% because people felt seen rather than marketed to.
Start simple: segment your audience by purchase behavior, engagement level, or product preferences. From there, craft messages that acknowledge where they are in their relationship with your brand.
The brands that truly stand out don't just respond to issues—they anticipate them. This is where data becomes your secret weapon.Amy Hage, Co-founder of Strategy Maven Agency
Turn your brand into a story worth being part of
People don't just buy products—they buy into identities and stories. The brands that inspire fierce loyalty have figured out how to make their customers the hero of the story. I've seen this play out dramatically with our clients.
For example, one skincare brand stopped talking about their ingredients and started sharing customer transformation stories. Not before-and-after photos, but actual stories about confidence, self-care routines, and feeling comfortable in your own skin. Their community engagement exploded, and customers started creating content voluntarily because they felt proud to be associated with that narrative.
Ask yourself the following: What story does being your customer tell about someone? What identity does it reinforce? Then, weave that narrative through every piece of communication.
Give your team permission to actually help
Here's where most companies screw up: They hire customer service people, then tie their hands with scripts and policies that make it impossible to actually solve problems and create an amazing customer experience.
I tell my clients to give their support team a monthly "fix this" budget. Not a lot—maybe $500 to $1000, depending on the business. But enough to upgrade someone's shipping when there's a delay, throw in a free product when something goes wrong, or just do something unexpectedly nice.
Make everything feel seamless (even when it's not)
Your customers shouldn't have to think about how to interact with your brand. Whether they're shopping on mobile, calling customer service, or engaging on social media, the experience should feel consistent and effortless.
This doesn't mean everything has to be perfect behind the scenes—it means the customer experience should feel cohesive. When someone emails your support team about an order they placed on your website, that rep should have their full purchase history and preferences at their fingertips.
I've watched brands lose loyal customers simply because their left hand didn't know what their right hand was doing. Integration matters more than innovation.
Be proactive about customer problems
The brands that truly stand out don't just respond to issues—they anticipate them. This is where data becomes your secret weapon.
If you notice customers typically have questions about sizing after ordering, send a proactive email with fit guides. If your shipping typically takes longer during peak season, communicate that upfront and offer updates along the way.
One of our e-commerce clients started sending "heads up" emails when orders were running behind schedule, along with a small bonus for the inconvenience. Complaints dropped by 80% even though nothing about their actual shipping process changed.
Build community, not just a customer base
Your best customers should feel like they're part of something bigger than a transaction. Create opportunities for them to connect with each other and with your brand beyond buying things.This could be as simple as a Facebook group where customers share tips, or as elaborate as exclusive events and workshops. The key is creating spaces where your brand facilitates connection rather than just selling products.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
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