Customer Loyalty

Big brands love to talk about customer loyalty. Loyalty Marketing. Loyalty Life Cycle.

Little newsflash: Customer don't feel any loyalty towards corporations. And even beloved brands.
Customer prefer some brands over others for many reasons: iPod vs. Zune: iPod is still the benchmark, Apple is so much cooler than Microsoft and everybody else has iPod's. Lexus vs. Cadillac: Lexus models are more reliable, the service is exceptional and the resale value is so much better. Diesel vs. Gap: Diesel makes you look and feel so much cooler, their advertising rocks and you look like you belong when you wear them.

Customers are not loyal to brands. They prefer some brands over others. Period.

Looking at my life, I'm loyal to a few brands in my life. None of them is a corporate entity. None of them is listed on Wall Street. I'm loyal to my local videostore because I don't want my neighborhood to look like a giant strip-mall, and I don't want the store owner to end up as a Blockbuster manager.
I'm loyal to my local Farmers Market because they allow my kid to run around freely, taste new fruits and vegetables, and I know I support the local community.

Loyalty is local.
Loyalty is highly personal.
Loyalty is about relationships.
Loyalty is about responsibility.

Trust me when I say this: Consumers were and will never be loyal to a brand. Never.
They choose a brand over another brand because of A, B and C.
That's why it's so important to understand what these A, B and C's are.
Because the consumer will only choose that brand if the A, B, C's are taken care of.
That might keep you in business.

Want to grow your business? Take care of the basics and provide an experience your consumers want to share with their family and friends. Out of loyalty.