045 The Invisible Touch – Beagles Versus Customers

The Second Key: Brand

At the end of a tough day when I've been to meetings with clients and when clients take my advice (but not without my sharply-focused presentation telling them exactly WHY they need to follow my advice), I return home to the cheerfully tail-wagging beagle we call Junior.

Unrelenting Loyalty

When I was younger and we lived in another house, I'd come home from my investment real estate sales job and click the garage door opener. Our (then) toddler, Liz, would stop what she was doing and go over to the open doorway leading down to our basement, which was attached to the garage.

After I locked the door from the garage, I'd hear Liz sing out:

"D A D D Y, W h e r e ARE Y o u?" And I'd sing back, "I'm right HERE!"

I'd race up the steps and we'd hug and kiss and I'd make Liz giggle.

Didn't matter what good or bad had happened in my day, there she was.

Well…. she's older now and moved out on her own. So that friendly, all-accepting entity in my life is Junior Beagle. He's 11 years old as I write this and has some medical issues (as we all do as we age), but he's still there, loves me, and accepts me as I am. He never questions it, he just loves me.

Don't ever think your customers and clients will do the same thing!

Loyalty Versus Habit

You have clients and customers who really like you, prefer you over others, and tell people about you. You have others who have stopped really questioning themselves about why the use you, but hey, they are still there.

Some are just in the habit of using you, just as you might be in the habit of buying Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats cereal or Ford cars or Dial soap. You get in the habit and don't question yourself.

If we had to analyze ever decision we make in the day, we'd never get past our bedrooms. I don't THINK about the toothpaste I use, nor which razor, nor which shave cream or after shave, nor which shampoo (hey… I DO still use shampoo, even on THIS bald head!).

Clients and customers are much the same. You WANT them to get to that state of sticking by you and using you whenever your product or service is right for them, because if they had to stop to think about it, they MIGHT choose someone else.

So forget about brand loyalty – it doesn't exist.

Theaters see that when people stop buying subscriptions for a whole season and only purchase tickets for the productions they want to see at various theaters around town.

Restaurants see that – a new restaurant opens down the street and you try it and like it, you may easily forget the one you used to go to.

Consumer products see that when someone like my wife, Pam, clips coupons and goes for the next best item because it is on sale (and believe me, she proudly shows me how much money she saved by doing that). We have tried more kinds of toothpaste, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, dinner meat, etc over the years because Pam has found something else on sale.

Don't let this stop you from working on the overall image and ability of your company. Always remember to work on your brand, but just never be lulled into thinking that once customers or clients start working with you, they will always be there. They won't, so stay after them all the time, make them feel welcome, show your love and respect, and then expect it back.

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
Blogging, Podcasting, Consulting

PS: You can find me here:

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Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

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Fallacies of Marketing

044 The Invisible Touch – Beagles Versus Customers