I’m still sitting here in central Texas, ceiling fan on medium because it’s that weird March weather where it’s 82° one minute and then the wind kicks up and you’re freezing, trying one more time to explain how I’ve been fumbling my way toward figuring out how to create a brand that drives loyal customers.
It’s not clean. It’s not a 12-step system. It’s more like I accidentally collected a small group of people who don’t hate me yet even though I’ve sent them candles labeled wrong, emails at 3 a.m., and once accidentally Venmo’d a customer $8 back because I overcharged shipping by that much and felt too awkward to just keep it.
The Brutal Truth About “Loyalty” I Wish Someone Had Yelled at Me Sooner
Most advice about building loyal customers sounds great until you try it and realize you’re not a faceless corporation with a content team. You’re just you, probably in sweatpants, wondering if anyone actually cares.
I used to think loyalty came from fancy packaging or perfect reels. Nope. The first time someone said “I only buy your stuff because your stories feel like texts from my chaotic best friend” — that was the moment I realized creating customer loyalty has way less to do with polish and way more to do with whether people feel seen.
Four Things That Actually Helped (and One That Keeps Biting Me)
- Talk like you’re texting someone you already know Not “optimized copy.” Not “pain-point language.” Just… me. “Y’all I panic-bought 14 air plants again and now my apartment looks like a sad jungle, so the new scent is basically ‘I tried’.” People reply with plant-death stories. They buy. Repeat.
- Show the backstage more than the spotlight I posted a video once where the background was literally my unmade bed and a pile of laundry because I filmed at 11 p.m. after a long shipping day. Comment section filled with “same” and orders. Turns out people like knowing you’re not living in a showroom.
- Fix mistakes in public and fast Batch of candles arrived smelling like straight vegetable oil instead of cedar + smoke. I made a story saying “these are trash, I’m so sorry, DM me for a replacement or refund and I’ll eat the loss.” Almost every single person kept theirs anyway and said they appreciated the honesty. Wild.
- Little stupid gestures that cost almost nothing Hand-numbering jars with Sharpie. Including a random Polaroid of my dog wearing tiny sunglasses in every tenth package. Replying to reviews with actual sentences instead of “thank u ❤️”. Those are the things people screenshot and send their friends.
(That’s my laptop and the unread-email guilt trip right there ↑. Glamorous entrepreneur life.)
The Contradiction I Can’t Escape
Even though I know better, I still occasionally waste entire weekends trying to make everything “look professional.” New logo mockups, color-palette research, Canva carousels with drop shadows. Then I post the slick version and get three likes and zero sales. Post the messy voice-note ramble at 1:47 a.m. instead? Twelve orders by breakfast.
So yeah. I contradict myself constantly. One day I’m preaching radical authenticity, the next I’m googling “how to sound more premium without sounding like a douche.” It’s fine. Being a walking contradiction is apparently part of how to create a brand that drives loyal customers — at least the kind who stick around even when you’re being annoying.
Final Rambling Thought Before I Go Reheat This Coffee
Nobody’s brand is finished. Mine definitely isn’t. I still overthink pricing, still dread tax season, still wonder if I should just get a normal job sometimes.
But the people who keep showing up — the ones who message me when their candle finally dies to ask when the next restock is, or send me photos of their shelf with my stuff next to books and plants — they’re not loyal because I nailed the marketing funnel. They’re loyal because something in the messy middle feels like home to them.
If you’re in the thick of trying to build something similar right now, just know it’s okay to be unfinished. It’s okay to be a little embarrassing. It’s okay to not have it all figured out.
Drop a comment if you want — tell me the dumbest branding mistake you’ve made lately or the one thing that’s actually working for you. I’ll read every single one, probably while stress-eating tortilla chips straight from the bag.
Still here, still messy, still grateful,
