A period of crisis is a good opportunity for you to develop your Marketing, by understanding the topic “Customer Loyalty”.
It will come as no surprise to any of my regular readers that your most valuable customers are those which you already have. In this period of uncertainty, those customers must be cherished more than ever. . I have chosen an image of paired swans to represent the bond between business owner and loyal customers. You might be familiar with the established reputation of swans, but if not:
Swans form monogamous pair bonds that last for many years, and in some cases these bonds can last for life. Their loyalty to their mate is so storied that the image of two swans swimming with their necks entwined in the shape of a heart has become a nearly universal symbol of devotion (source: BBC Earth). What makes swans different from other bird species? Why do they stick together when others play the field? Their motivation, as always in the Animal Kingdom, is survival.
3 tips from swans which can be a benefit to business owners:
- Stay together to deliver maximum output: a bonded pair of swans will produce clutch after clutch of cygnets across their lifetime together. An established supplier/client relationship is likely to be highly productive for both parties.
- Learn together from experience: if a nesting pair build a nest in a poor position where it becomes vulnerable to flooding, they will relocate to higher ground the following year. A good supplier/customer bond will adapt over time to deliver mutual benefits.
- Find strength together: it is well known that swans have a reputation for inflicting damage on predators when a nest is disturbed. Swan couples become a highly effective fighting team to protect their brood. The swans know that they’re stronger when they present an united front, and similarly, client and supplier will flourish best when they collaborate.