4 ways to create customer loyalty

Your brand is important...but you must do more than rely on that alone. Here are 4 considerations to make when thinking about your customer loyalty...which is a must if you want to stay in business!

#1: Leadership impacts loyalty. Your employees are the heart of an organization. Poor leadership can devastate your customers' loyalty. If employees are sad, depressed, lack trust, that will be seen easily by your customers. They say misery loves company, except your customers!! People are attracted to excitement, innovation and happy smiles. Your country club membership and other perks should be the last priority. Take care of your people first. They are the microphone of your brand.

#2: Keep up with expectations. Customers don't care about what you did last year in terms of investments, improvements to a website, or improving customer service. Customers expect the "benchmark" service regardless of industry. Think of Amazon, or Zappos. That is the new expectation. Anything less than that is outdated and not worthy of being loyal to. If you don't keep up...you will lose to your competition.

#3: Transparency is here! Internet, phones, tablets....your price is not a secret. Your customers are looking for the best deal. You must be competitive. Companies with confusing pricing structures, annual price increases will cloud and confuse those that consider you. Customers will go the path of least resistance.

#4: Be relevant. If you look around and realize your competition has the same product as you...or Better....hit the concern button! Customers today are making rational decisions. You must have innovation instead of a "me too" or old technology. If your products don't stand out in the marketplace...you will soon not be standing in the marketplace. Don't take it personal. That is business.