Grainne Byrne explains why, with the revolution of craft beer brewing, customer loyalty is at a premium. A new app aims to help beer brewers to win customer loyalty in an interesting way.
If you’re like most new businesses, the one thing that’s on your mind is how you can gain as many new customers as quickly as possible. However, that focus on customer discovery is not the bottom line.
It’s a given that new customer acquisition is vital for new businesses, but obsession with constantly increasing sales can work against some sectors.
Traditionally, there has been a preoccupation with acquiring new customers, often at the expense of nurturing loyal customers.
Businesses must be aware of the rapid evolution of technology, how it’s changing the status quo and changing consumer behaviour.
Knowing this can bring strategic advantages and growth opportunities.
Looking at the drinks industry, for example, the culture of beer drinking has been altered at the hand of the craft beer revolution.
According to the head brewer of Wexford’s Yellow Belly craft brewery, Declan Nixon, drinking is now being treated as “more of a tasting experience than a getting tipsy experience”.
Requests for anything more exotic than Guinness in pubs are no longer baulked at and today, bars and off-licences stock an abundance of interesting choices.
Why do people buy craft rather than ‘domestic’?
For a twenty-something, what is the primary motivator to buy a premium priced microbrew over a macrobrew?
Perhaps it’s identity, buying a one-of-a-kind craft beer to express their one-of-a-kind personality?
Maybe it’s just down to people focusing on taste?
One thing’s for sure, the perceived authenticity of microbrews means brand attraction is more innate, at least for a while.
As Irish business author, Bernadette Jiwa says, “Affinity that’s earned, not attention that is bought and paid for, is what’s powering business growth now.”
The craft beer industry is beginning to level out
Although the
