Customer Lifecycle: Stage 3: Customer relationships need to be nurtured
Effective lifecycle marketing doesn’t stop once a customer is onboarded. Established relationships need continual nurturing.
How often does an email land in your box saying that you’ve been missed, or some such pleasantry? But in your mind, you haven’t lapsed or left the relationship, it’s just not the right time for your next purchase.
Let’s take cat owners as an example. They try to find the most nutritious and natural food for their feline friends, but it’s not always a celebration of a successful selection. Cats are fickle – with a capital F! Invariably you end up mixing and matching from different suppliers, with different flavours, biscuits, dry food, treats (more variety than a restaurant!) to keep them interested. A cat owner’s purchase cycle is anything but regular. But it’s all in the data and clear for the manufacturers to see, should they have the inclination. But inevitably, they fail to see the irregularity and ask why you’ve stopped buying from them. Which leads to that actually being the case! If they haven’t even noticed your purchases, it most likely makes their assumption a reality – you won’t then be buying again!
Lifecycle isn’t linear
There is no such thing as an average customer. There’s no one size fits all journey, and it is critical to differentiate based on the customer data.
So why have a single customer lifecycle journey? Customers all do different things for different reasons.
Maybe the customer has greatly accelerated their growth which should be acknowledged at least, and maybe even rewarded. Or there could be a downturn in spend or loyalty or engagement which should be addressed and resolved if possible – to prevent disengagement, decline and lapse.
We can create targeted interventions to nurture their journey back to the norm, or reward and celebrate their extraordinary growth.
Conclusion: It’s All About the Relationship
Effective lifecycle marketing isn’t about pushing products; it’s about building relationships. By understanding your customers’ needs, engaging with them intelligently, and using data to drive personalised experiences, you can create a lifecycle program that not only improves customer retention but also fosters long-term loyalty.
Offer value, notice and reward loyalty, offer great customer service, monitor and continuously improve in line with what the data tells you.
Done Right, Lifecycle Marketing Creates Growth
By focusing on personalised, data-driven communication at every stage, businesses can build stronger customer relationships, improve retention, and maximise lifetime value. Every step, from onboarding to the ongoing engagement, is an opportunity to enhance the customer experience and ensure that they continue to choose your brand time and time again.
Read our other two blogs in this series to find out more:
Customer Lifecyle Stage 1:
How to create an effective welcome stage – the art of finding out about who your customers really are
Customer Lifecycle: Stage 2:
Personalise your communications for effective customer relationships