8 Ways to Boost Customer Retention Before The Order Comes Through

Hey HIII!

It’s me again. It’s been a hectic week—a full day of meetings in the office on Tuesday, the first-ever Retention Uncensored event yesterday, and tonight, I’m hosting a dinner at Port Said with the TryNow team.

Before I dive in, if you caught last week’s newsletter about the 80/20 rule in ecommerce, you might remember the chatter about those loyal customers who keep brands afloat.

Well, at Yotpo, we’ve crunched millions of data points from thousands of brands to understand who these people are and what keeps them coming back—and the results are fascinating.

Learn more about the superheroes of ecom and how you can find more of them here.

Now, let’s get into something I’ve hinted at before but want to dive deeper into today: Retention starts before the first order. Your chances of creating a loyal customer begin long before they ever click “buy.” 

The brands that excel at retention don’t wait until after the first purchase to build loyalty—they start the moment a customer discovers them.

From nailing the influencer-brand fit to delivering the perfect pre-purchase experience, every touchpoint matters.

Today, I’m breaking down how you can set your brand up for success and give yourself the best shot at retaining customers before they even make their first purchase.

Let’s dive right in.

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Ready to dive in? Check it out here:

8 Ways to Boost Customer Retention Before The Order Comes Through

When we think of customer retention, the focus usually falls on what happens after the first purchase—emails, SMS campaigns, loyalty programs, and so on. But, let’s be honest, the retention gods already know the outcome long before a customer hits "buy." Your best chance at creating a loyal customer starts right at the first interaction.

Whether it’s through an Instagram ad, a TikTok vid, a friend’s recommendation, or a Google search, you’re already setting the stage for whether they’ll return after the first purchase. The brands that truly excel at retention understand that the groundwork starts well before someone checks out.

Here are 8 ways you can make sure customers stick around before they even hit that buy button:

Trust is Built on Day One:

Customers need to trust your brand before they even think about pulling out their wallets. Whether it’s through your social presence, product reviews, or influencer partnerships, that initial touchpoint is where trust begins. If they feel good about your brand early on, they’re far more likely to convert and stick around.

Imagine stumbling on a sleek website but seeing no customer reviews. Even with top-tier branding, the lack of social proof makes people hesitate. But a brand with strong reviews, a compelling story, and a community of engaged customers builds confidence from the start.

It should be a race against the dropoff rate–can you gain trust onsite quickly enough?

Pre-Purchase Messaging that Resonates:

Does your messaging hit home with potential customers? Before they even think about buying, they need to understand how your product fits into their life and solves their problems. 

Brands like OLIPOP nail this. They don’t wait for you to buy a soda before explaining why it’s good for your gut—they make that the cornerstone of their pre-purchase story.

People love to feel informed before they make a decision. If your brand can provide educational content—blog posts, how-to videos, or a solid FAQ page—you’re arming them with the knowledge to feel confident about buying from you. When customers feel like they “get” the product before they buy, they’re already halfway to loyalty.

Set Clear Expectations:

Customers need to know exactly what to expect. If your brand oversells the experience or the product’s benefits, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment—and lost loyalty. 

This is especially important for brands selling health-related products like Athletic Greens or Ritual. They need to be careful not to promise life-changing results after two weeks of vitamins because when customers don’t feel 5x better, they’re going to drop off. 

Clear, realistic messaging upfront prevents that disconnect and keeps customers coming back.

Find the Right Influencer-Brand Fit:

A mismatch in influencer marketing can make or break that first impression. If an influencer’s audience doesn’t align with your brand’s values, you miss the chance to connect with the right customers. But when you find the right influencer, you set the tone for a relationship built on trust and shared values.

At Jones Road, choosing influencers who genuinely loved the product brought in customers who felt connected to the brand from the start. These weren’t just one-time buyers—they became repeat purchasers because they trusted both the influencer and the brand.

(Highly recommend our sponsor minisocial for this!)

Create a Pre-Purchase Community:

People want to belong to something bigger. Why wait until someone buys to make them part of your community? You can build that connection through social media, email lists, or even ambassador programs. By the time they hit "buy," they’re already emotionally invested.

Glossier, for instance, gets this. Their Instagram isn’t just about showcasing products; it’s about engaging with a community that’s invested in skincare. By the time someone buys their first Boy Brow, they already feel part of the Glossier world.

Be Careful with Discounting:
 
Offering steep discounts, especially on a first order, can be a double-edged sword. A 50% discount might get someone to make that first purchase, but it can also set an expectation for future buys.

 If customers come back and suddenly see your product at full price, you’ll have a hard time convincing them to pay up. Brands that rely too heavily on discounts risk training customers to wait for sales, which can hurt long-term retention. Be strategic about discounts and focus on value over slashing prices.

Storytelling That Sticks:

Customers don’t just buy products—they buy into the story behind the brand. Brands that use storytelling to create an emotional connection set themselves up for retention before any money changes hands. Whether it’s your origin story or a cause you support, storytelling pulls people in and keeps them engaged.

Brands like Patagonia understand this. Their storytelling goes beyond the product—it’s about values, purpose, and being part of something bigger. That’s what keeps customers loyal.

Consistency in Experience:

Every touchpoint should feel cohesive—from the ads customers see to the moment they hit your site. If they feel a disconnect, they’ll bounce. But when the experience is smooth, and every interaction feels like a natural extension of your brand, they’re more likely to feel confident about making a purchase—and coming back for more.

By focusing on these eight tactics, you're laying the foundation for long-term loyalty before your customers even make their first purchase. It’s not just about that initial conversion—it’s about building relationships that last.

That’s it for this week!

Any topics you'd like to see me cover in the future?

Just shoot me a DM or an email!

Cheers, 

Eli 💛

P.S. Looking for inspo on your next email/sms campaign?

I know you will love this.