David Vanderwaal, Head of Marketing USA for LG Electronics, compares his brand’s relationship with customers to a first date.
Less than a decade old, LG Electronics has a lot to prove in the considered purchase category, which includes products like appliances and televisions.
“As a new brand, we are focused on trying to build long-term advocacy,” Vanderwaal told Loyalty360. “We are trying to establish a life-long relationship with someone–like going out on a first date. We do a lot to nurture that relationship.”
LG Electronics is building trust and loyalty through its customer experience with the hopes of securing that second date, and ultimately, a lifetime commitment to the brand.
When a product arrives at a consumer’s home, Vanderwaal explained, and the consumer has opted to hear from the 
company, LG Electronics typically send four emails to that person staggered one week apart.
“They all have one objective in mind, which is how to use the product better,” Vanderwaal said. “So if it’s a washer, we will have emails that tell them how to use soap dosage correctly with the front-load washer, another one to tell them how best to sort clothes, and another one to tell them how to save energy costs using washer correctly.”
What’s more, LG Electronics allows customers to receive emails after that point.
“If they say yes, we put them on an ongoing CRM cadence that delivers a newsletter from us every month,” Vanbderwaal said. “It is general topic–not things that just have to do with the appliance world but topics in general−seasonal topics, recipes, ways to take care of your home better. Occasionally, we send an email with information about our brand or sponsorship activity we think they might be interested in.”
Vanderwaal said LG Electronics devotes considerable time to social media.
“We are building social platforms and programs that talk about things other than straight-up product,” he said. “Our Facebook, YouTube channel, and Twitter post lots of things that don’t have to do with appliances, but topics that are of general interest to our target. For example, last year we ran a “Life’s Good House”–everything on our Facebook page centered on tips on how to make the home run better; many were humorous and practical, and very few had anything to do with appliances. We had tremendous engagement with that. Social is the way to stay in the game and is the way to keep people talking about the brand whether or not they are ready to buy.”