The Ali Dee Show

Ep 110: How to build a cult like customer base in 2026

• Ali Dee • Episode 110

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I break down why loyalty is surging and exactly how to position your boutique or product brand to benefit from it, even if you’ve felt overshadowed by big marketplaces

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SPEAKER_00:

Hi, welcome to the Alley D show. We are getting ready for Christmas this week. We got a lot going on, and of course, I want to bring another episode to you where I am dissecting one of the big shifts that I see happening in the retail industry right now. Again, like the past few weeks, I've been really looking at what's been going on in 2025, what's working, what's not working, and what do I see happening for 2026, specifically in our industry. And this is a biggie. So I'm excited to talk to you about it today. And not only tell you about it, but then also tell you how you can actually make this happen for your own boutique or your own brand, depending on what kind of products you sell. Okay, so this week I'm very excited to dive into the topic of what I believe is going to be again a massive shift in 2026 for the retail industry. And what I'm talking about in this episode is specifically brand loyalty. Because I believe that 2026 is the year that people really shift back to buying from brands that they feel connected to and almost become this like loyal, obsessed, have to buy from you, or they feel like they're either missing out, or they feel like they're excluded, or they feel like you know they're just not being true to themselves. It's more of a deep, deep desire to actually start spending their money where they feel this deeper connection. Because what's been happening, as we know, for many years now, Amazons of the world, the Timu's of the world, the Sheins of the world have really been stripping the retail industry from everything it was built upon. It was built upon human connection, it was built upon people feeling connected to brands and products in a way that actually meant something to them. And what happened with fast fashion and what happened with fast delivery and fast cheap everything is that really got stripped away from our industry. People weren't as interested in, for the most part, buying from brands because of brand loyalty. It was more about, again, this is generally speaking, it was more about what's the cheapest, fastest. And that's what consumers wanted for many years now. And I think the reason why is because it was new, it was novelty. People were used to having to go into malls and maybe spend a little more money, but shop around, and now all of a sudden you could pull up this little thing called your cell phone and you could be on a website and buy like a zillion things for a hundred bucks. But here's what happened: time and time and time again, people started to get their deliveries, the fitting was horrible, the product was horrible, the you know, um fabric was horrible, and these items started to fall apart after first washes, or even worse, be totally different than what's shown on the picture. And people, quite frankly, were tired of scrolling and shopping and thinking they're gonna like something, and it gets there and it's totally cheap and gross and has nothing to do with what they actually wanted. They feel duped. Not only that, so there's like the mistrust that started to happen amongst the cheap and fast, but also it just became exhausting and not fun. And what people forget about our industry is that it's based on happy transformations. It's based on I buy this because it's making me feel some type of way. It's making me feel good, it's making me feel excited, it's giving me some kind of transformation. And a lot of that was really, really lost in this online spazzy past few years where everything just went to let's just get it cheap and fast. So, what I've been seeing slowly happen is this shift from people feeling like they want cheap and fast to people starting to feel like they actually want to spend their money with either brands that they connect with or businesses they connect with, people they connect with, um people that share the same values, the same interests, all of that. Like if they're gonna spend a hundred dollars on buying themselves something, instead of getting like, you know, a zillion things that maybe one or two are cute and the rest is just basically like return it or throw it away, they're willing now to spend a little bit more money knowing that they're gonna get a product that they're just gonna be obsessed with because the brand is so aligned with who they are as people. So this is why I believe that in 2026, brand loyalty is going to change the game. People are going to be seeking out brands, boutiques, businesses that they connect with on a deeper level that it's not just transactional anymore. Because now you could like you could literally go online and buy anything at any price at any time of the day, right? So what's the point? The point now is people don't want that anymore. I mean, is there is convenience going away? No. Is there a time when you need to pop on Amazon and grab something? Yes, of course. But for the most part, when people are looking to spend their money, they're gonna start shifting their dollars into places that feel more aligned and feel more connected. So this is a huge shift that I see happening for next year. So that's why I want you guys to know about this now, so you don't miss out on this and you don't think like, oh, there's no no chance, like I'm just, you know, getting swallowed by all these big box stores, and now I think the money is really like the economy and the money is really gonna shift into our favor because this is what I see shifting in consumerism and what people are showing up and wanting to spend their money on. I mean, probably look at you and your own habits, your own buying habits. It's like enough is enough of this cheap crapola, right? Like, ugh. I mean, I guess it served its purpose. It really, really, like, it really hurt the retail industry, the American retail industry, very, very bad. Like if you were, you know, going through this. I know I mentioned this before, but like it was a tough time to kind of go through that and navigate. Like, how do we compete with what everybody wants is cheap and fast. And a lot of stores said, okay, well, I'm gonna sell cheap and fast. But you can't be cheaper and faster than Amazon. You just can't. So if you're always trying to compete on price out there, you're never gonna win. So we got to compete on what we're good at. And what we're good at is human connection because historically, that is what our industry is based upon. That's what retail was founded on customer service, not just transactions. And so now is our time to shine again where we can take our industry back and go, no, people have had enough of just, you know, just money grabs, right? That's what it feels to a lot of people. That it's just like these companies are just trying to get some money grabs. Just get the money, they're not gonna return it, they're lazy, they're not gonna think about it. Just ship them something. Like that's almost what it feels like. And now people are over it. So let's talk about how you can make sure that you are prepared for brand loyalty in 2026. Because, like I said, you do not want to get left behind, and this is your time, your time to shine. So, I really want you to understand how you can start thinking about this as you go into 2026 to make sure you're setting up your store for success. So, the first thing, and you guys know I talk about this all the time, but it is so important. And now, going into 2026, I am going to like scream it from the mountaintop so you all hear this over and over and over and over again. But you have to know who your brand is for, who your boutique is for. You must have a specific customer base that you service, not just a social media following, not just we got a little something for everybody, not just oh, we're just a cute boutique selling cute clothes. You will get left behind. The way you're gonna create a customer base that is obsessed with everything that you freaking sell is by getting clear on who you're for. Who do you believe you can help the most with your products, who will like your products the most, who will like your vibes, who will get you, and you will get them. This is first and foremost, and I know so many people here just, and again, when I whenever I work with new students, they come to me and I talk about like their niche and who their ideal customer is and what kind of clarity they have on that. And they will tell me what people, you know, were taught back in 2020, 2021, 2022, whatever, and even before that, which is oh, well, all you need to know is like their gender, their age, where they're from, you know, women between like 20 to 25 that like to dress cute, and those days are so over and dead and done. Like that is not how you build a successful business anymore, especially online and especially in the retail industry. Because guys, there though those are everywhere. There's one of those on every single block on the internet streets, okay? Virtual block, right? There's one on every virtual block. So how are you gonna stand out? Like, that's actually a really good image. Like, if you were to look down a street, a virtual street, but pretend it's a real one, okay, and you're looking down it, and you just see store after store after store, and everybody looks exactly the same, and they sell exactly the same thing, and uh their their aesthetic is exactly the same. Like, people are just gonna pass on by. But what if your store is the one that stands out above all the other stores that are exactly the same on that block, you're gonna capture people's attention, right? The right people's attention, and I'll get into how to do that here in a second. But your store, if you pretend it's a storefront on a street, maybe it is, the way that you're gonna capture people and customers is to stand out from the crowd. And you stand out to the people who you know once they walk into your doors are gonna like your stuff. This is where the match made in heaven comes in. And it's like, oh my gosh, this store is so me. I'm gonna come here every week and shop from it because like I just love all their products so much. Or this brand is so me. I know there's a zillion candle companies out there and they all have like very similar scents, but this brand speaks to me in the marketing and the imagery and what they stand for and their values. This is how you do this. So the first step is figuring out who are my people? Who are your heroes? That's what I call them in the trendsetter world. I call them heroes. So we say, who are your heroes? Because they're the main characters of the story. It's not you or your business, it's them. So who are they? What do they like? What do they dislike? How do they spend their weekends? What are their hobbies? What are their interests? What types of things do they value? You have to think deeply about all these things. And then also, what do they desire in life? What are their wants? What do they aspire to be? And you build a world for that person only. And that's how you get sales on repeat over and over and over in this compounds, and you start with a small customer base and it grows and it grows and it builds. And next thing you know, you're doing$100,000 months in the blink of an eye because you figured this part out. And this is the part most people skip. They get it, like most of you get this, but most of you won't do the real work. I love you, but most of you aren't doing the real work to actually nail down who this person is. And even if you did this like a year or two ago, I want you to revisit it and go, is this still relevant? Is this still my person? Has anything changed? Could I get clearer? Could I get even more specific? Because people think, oh, the more specific, you're like narrowing your audience. You're narrowing the amount of people that you can reach. And like, it's the total opposite. That's how you actually reach somebody. I would rather you reach a hundred of the right people than a million of the wrong people. Because that's what happens when you look at your little internet street, your virtual street, and you just people are just passing by all day, they're passing your store by. It's because you're not standing out to anybody. And they'll just stop at any store or any Amazon or any whatever just to grab whatever they need. And instead, you want to call them to you. So you got to figure out who they are, and then the next step is calling them to you. And here's here's some of the fun part of that, okay? So step one, figure out who who your customer base is and get really, really deep. Step two is actually a process, which is calling them to you. And the first thing I want to talk about here is your brand personality. Don't be a stick in the mud online, unless that's your brand personality. Okay. Most people are so worried about sounding professional and sounding perfect and sounding like, you know, this, that, whatever the deal is, okay? And that is causing you to miss out on reaching anybody at all. Because you have no brand personality. You're so vanilla. Again, you are just one of the azillion stores on the virtual main street. I just love that visual. Because I just picture like a hundred gray brick stores, right? Like the one that has some personality is gonna stand out. Now, again, if you can match that brand personality with your ideal customer, oh my gosh, they're gonna be lining up at the doors. So, brand personality is like, how do you show up online and how do you speak to your people? Do people feel like what is what do they feel when they hear your brand personality? And oftentimes this can match your personality, sometimes it doesn't, depends, but oftentimes it does. And I always talk about this one really funny brand personality example because it's stuck out in my head for years now, and it's about Fashion Nova. Okay, they have a very d distinct brand personality. The way that they talk to their customers is hilarious, and that's because that's how their customers connect with them, and that's how their customers talk to their friends. Like, that's like real life talk, right? It's called like speaking in the vernacular, if we want to get like, you know, sassy with it. And that just means speak how you would speak to these people in real life. Like, not hello. This is my online store. We have lots of great stuff. You can come in and see if there's anything. No. You know what Fashion Nova said on Black Friday? They sent out a text that said, Wake up, bitches, it's time to shop. Okay. That was how they woke everybody up on Black Friday. Okay, how freaking hilarious is that? I mean, is that not the best ever? If you're that type of customer and you shop from Fashion Nova and you get that text, you're like instantly laughing in the morning, right? And it's building a deeper connection. So funny. So this is brand personality and brand messaging. So how are you showing up and speaking? Whether it's your voice in content, whether it's your captions, what's on your website, what's in your, you know, graphics, what's in your email marketing, everywhere that something is written needs to be in your brand's personality. Not generic, not boring. You will get passed right on by. So think about your brand messaging and your brand personality. And use that fashion Nova example. I mean, maybe you wouldn't say, Wake up, bitches, it's time to shop to your customer. But maybe there's another way that you would say something like that that's funny to them. Little inside jokes. Little, like almost like a little private party, like a little VIP group that they're involved in it, that that like only they would laugh at. That's what I want you to think about. Okay, do not be generic here. And the next part of this, and the last thing I want to speak about today in this podcast, because I really want you to have like specific actions you can do, is I want you to think about your brand aesthetic, the imagery in your brand. And this is where so many people miss because this takes real effort. And I have been guilty of this in the past. Just get it done, just get the pictures done, just get the imagery done, just get the social media posts up there. And I don't want you to get so in your head about this that you, you know, stop posting altogether and you you you get like frozen because you're like, I don't know what to do. But I want you to actually consider your brand aesthetic and brand imagery. And I want you to ask yourself, could you be doing better here? Could you be doing better when it comes to actually calling in the person that you think would like your stuff? Does this mean getting out from like the selfie mirror at your house or like the corner of your warehouse and like actually going out somewhere where you feel like customers would get like, oh my God, like, you know, she's at this cute spot. Like, I love this. Like, you know, get out of your houses, out of your offices, out of your retail spaces, and really somewhere that people can kind of connect with, where they see the image and they see the brand in a new way because you're presenting it in a way that is extremely connected and aligned with them. Right? If you're in Trendsetter University, we talked about this in one of our recent trainings where I showed you real life examples of how brands aesthetic and imagery can totally make or break a brand. And the two that I used was like Love Shag Fancy, and then I also used Fashion Nova because the two the imagery in the brands is so freaking different, and you can really see exactly who they're calling in based on their brand aesthetic and imagery, the mood of the images, the models, what their accessories are, their poses, their faces. All of this is what I talked about like in the episode 108 of predictions. This is effort. This is you putting in some freaking effort here and thinking like, okay, it's time to do better. Am I using AI too much for my pictures? Am I like really just doing stuff to kind of squeak by? You need to put in more effort in your brand imagery and aesthetic. And again, those two, you can go look on their websites, go look on their social media, look up Fashion Nova, and look up Love Shack Fancy. They are two very good examples of brand imagery and aesthetics that have created cult-like followings. You will not find anything generic or vanilla on their pages because they have so honed in on what their customers align with that all once you figure that out, that's just that's just all you do. You double down, triple down, quadruple down on that. And everything becomes so much easier because all your decisions, everything you do runs through the lens of is this going to align with my ideal customer? And that's how you create brand loyalty. You don't allow anything into your private party that does not connect with your ideal customer, and that's just the way it is. I don't make the rules, that's just the rules. You want to be successful, you have to be, you have to attract and repel. That's just part of marketing. And that's part of successful marketing. So I really hope that you guys understand the importance of brand loyalty now going into 2026, but more importantly, if you just understand. Understanding that yes, it's something you need to do now so you don't get left behind. But also now you have actionable steps on how to actually implement this, right? And I'll just repeat them again so you can write them down, listen to this episode again if you need to. But first and foremost, you need to figure out who is your ideal customer. That's first, right? Get that really, really, really freaking clear. And then the second thing you're gonna want to do is look at your brand messaging, right? And your um the way that you're speaking to people, your brand personality. That's number two. And then number three is your brand image imagery and aesthetics. Okay, the visuals. So who's your customer? How do you speak to them? What do they see? That's like in a nutshell what you need to focus on and really audit yourself and really think about all these things as you're heading into the holiday weekend. You have some downtime, you have some slow time. I really want you guys to consider all of this and think about it and start implementing it like right now. Are there things is that are there areas you can definitely improve the effort? I'm sure there are. We all can. I'm in the middle of a massive, massive like branding exposition study right now, if you will, where I'm looking at in even my brand into fine-tooth combs. What where can we increase our effort in 2026? What do we need to do to be even more iconic? And it's so fun. And I want you guys to have fun while you do this, okay? I know I sound like serious sometimes. Sometimes I'm like, geez, you're just really like, but I want you to have fun. That's what it's about. We sell fun stuff, we're creative, we help people, we build happiness, we create fun transformations. We're not having to perform brain surgery or like study rocket science. Okay, at the end of the day, we're doing things that are very fun and happy and invigorating and energetic. And I want you to bring those vibes to the table. Okay, have fun while you're doing this. All right. Well, um, uh those of you that have DM'd me that you are listening to the podcast, I live for it. I love it. Thank you so much. If you wouldn't mind right now, when you're done listening to this episode, shoot me a DM on Instagram. And make sure you write down or listen to how I spell the name. It's Ali A L I dot, period. Okay. Dot D D E E dot C E O. That's how you find me on Instagram. You can find me on TikTok too, but I get so many weirdo DMs on TikTok that um Instagram is definitely the best place to catch me. So it's Ali.d.ceo. Let me know you listen to this episode. Let me know what you're liking. If you want me to, you know, if you have any topics you want me to talk about, all the things I just love, love, love, love, love hearing from you guys. It's just the joy of my life, truly. All right. Have an incredible day and get your brand stuff going. 2026 is here, and we are just going to crush it next year.