In 2016, Crystal Landsem joined Lulus, a 10-figure fashion brand, more than doubled the company’s growth potential. This is due to the team’s deep connection with its core customers and Crystal’s commitment to giving them exactly what they wanted, including a brand new retail store.
Prioritizing the customer experience has always been a priority for Lulus. This perspective has been part of the brand’s overall mission since its inception and is one of the reasons it has been in business for over 25 years.
In the following article, Crystal details the four key customer retention strategies that have allowed Lulus to thrive.
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4 Expert Customer Loyalty Tips
![a model wearing the long dress embroidered with flowers in impeccable shine white satin.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/Flawless_Radiance_White_Satin_Floral_Embroidered_Maxi_Dress.jpg?v=1707174965)
When growing a business, acquiring new customers is an important part of your marketing strategy. But it is less expensive to retain customers than to acquire new ones. And loyal customers become your brand ambassadors as you grow. Here are Crystal’s tips for investing in customer loyalty.
1. Be as consistent as possible
The best way to retain customers is to deliver on your promises consistently, even if it means going above and beyond your expectations. Crystal and the team went so far as to make a last-minute trip to the post office to mail a bride’s shipment before her big day.
The trust you build with your client when you deliver consistent results will only increase their lifetime value and generate more revenue over time. “If you get someone their product on time and in good quality condition every time, that’s what’s going to fuel your growth,” Crystal says.
2. Invest in your customer
You need to prioritize where you spend your money, especially in the beginning. Crystal suggests thinking about it this way: if it doesn’t provide value to your customer, you don’t need it.
After receiving repeated feedback from customers who were passionate about an in-person shopping experience, Crystal and her team launched a wedding boutique on Melrosea popular shopping destination in Los Angeles.
![Lulus storefront next to Melrose Av road sign.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/Lulus_on_Melrose_Exterior.jpg?v=1707175258)
This investment may not make sense to an outsider, but it’s what the loyalists wanted and so it was a solid move for the brand.
Despite the company’s triple-digit growth, Crystal still has a similar outlook on every new decision she makes for Lulus. “We were very disjointed at first, and we still are today,” Crystal says.
3. Ignore temptations
Start using your free time more efficiently to master affordable software before investing in expensive technology. This will give you more money to invest in features that generate direct value for your customer, like a retail store. “There are a lot of really sexy software tools out there; things that claim to automate and make your life easier, but don’t get caught up in the whole allure of these set-it-and-forget-it automation tools,” says Crystal.
Find out where you can find cheaper alternatives that will keep your operating costs low, so you can spend additional revenue to create a higher quality shopping experience. By ignoring temp technology from the start, you will have more money to invest in the client.
4. Add personal touches
Consumer trends continually highlight the importance of authenticity: people like to feel like they’re buying from real humans, not just from a landing page. The Crystal team always writes handwritten notes for orders, so customers can feel a connection with Lulus employees.
Lulus also reviews every customer exit survey that goes through the system. These surveys are reviewed by the management team, allowing them to make rapid changes if necessary. “It’s not grouped, it’s not streamlined. It’s just a raw data dump of customer feedback that comes into our emails every morning,” says Crystal.
As Lulus demonstrates, by putting your customers’ needs first and focusing on creating real value, your business will always have a strong community of customers who support your business.
To learn more about Crystal’s Contextual Checklist and discover more of its customer loyalty strategies, tune in to the full Shopify Masters episode.