How Hammer Nutrition Earned My Loyalty
And what you can learn from their example
Sick of cramping on long bike rides, I recently went online and ordered some electrolyte pills.
(My girlfriend helpfully pointed out that my cramping probably stemed more from lack of fitness than a lack of electrolytes. But I digress.)
I bought the pills from a Whitefish, Montana-based outfit called Hammer Nutrition. In short order they won my loyalty and inspired this blog post.
Here’s what they did:
- They said thank you. In addition to getting an e-mail confirmation that my order was successful and was already in the mail, they called to thank me for buying. A nice-sounding woman left a brief (learn about the importance of brevity in voicemail here) message thanking me for my patronage. A nice touch considering most online commerce is quite sterile and impersonal.
- They added a bunch of extra products to the shipment, including energy bars, gels, drink mixes and even a little pouch thingy to hold change while I run or bike. This was both generous (most companies merely throw in the catalogue and hope you buy other stuff) and shrewd (I ate the bars and energy drinks and gels, thought they tasted great and will likely order some in the future).
- They wrote me a letter. Yes, it was a form letter and, yes, it mentioned welcoming me to their “family.” I know it sounds cheesy. They even wrote, “I know it sounds cheesy, but…” The letter felt real nonetheless. Strange as it sounds, I felt like a new member of this family from Montana.
- They gave me another free prize. They included a hefty newsletter that was full of great nutritional and recovery information. Sure, most of the info was better suited for the avid racer than the wannabe (yours truly), but I admired that they put so much effort into giving away free information that wasn’t directly tied to their product. (Their diet tips didn’t simply advocate eating their stuff—it was more general.) It showed integrity.
- Finally, I was impressed with the product. But frankly, they had me before I popped the first electrolyte pill.
What you can learn from Hammer Nutrition:
- Customer service that goes beyond the obligatory will generate respect, loyalty and good WOM.
- Your generosity will be repaid with customer goodwill. Customer goodwill will generate referrals.
- By making it clear that you appreciate the customer’s business, the customer will, in turn, appreciate both your product and company.
- By signaling to your customer that you don’t see the first purchase as one-time “give me your cash and we’ll go our separate ways” transaction, you set the stage for a lasting symbiotic relationship.
