They’ve taken back control of the Customer Journey

They fast forward through commercials. They ignore ads. They don’t answer the phone. They even delete emails without reading them. All because the last person they want to talk to is a salesperson and the last thing they want to endure is a sales pitch.

The Information Age has empowered your customers with more options than the limited number you provide. Now they don’t mind if you present your products or services, but they reserve the right to do research online and ask family and friends for recommendations and advice.

They want to be more than another transaction.

The internet has made it easy to find places that sell the same products. So your customers can afford to dive deeper. They want to know why you’re in business. They’re looking to form relationships with the companies they do business with. They want to know that you see them as more than just another transaction. They want to know you share their values and stay true to them.

In return, they will pledge unwavering loyalty and become the most vocal brand advocates you have ever known.

Apple, GEICO, GoPro, NIKE, Progressive, Red Bull, and Dollar Shave Club are all brands that have developed a connection that goes well beyond the sale. These companies have managed to build and nurture ongoing relationships with the people that chose to buy from them.

This special status is not reserved for large brands that have massive marketing budgets. And you don’t need to look much further than your own buying habits to know it’s true.

You don’t build customer loyalty overnight.

Every one of us has a short list of “go-to” restaurants. There might be a doctor, attorney or accountant you can’t image “living” without. Many of us won’t let just anyone cut our hair. Or maybe there’s a brand of clothing that fits really well and perfectly represents the way you want others view you.

If it’s rare for a couple to go from “how do you do” to “I do” during the first encounter, it’s even less likely to happen if you run around randomly bumping into people.

So why do we think it’s any different for our business?