Advertising is one way to attract customers. From the digital billboards, to the glossary magazines and journals, to daily newspapers, to click through ads and those annoying pop up ads on web sites, all these businesses are trying to capture your attention.

Why do you want to attract customers because that is the first half of the equation of why are you in business. The second half is keeping them. And that is the half that many businesses are missing specific to their advertising messages.

Attract + Keep = Loyal Customers

However, sometimes people when they hear one of those attracting messages start building certain levels of expectations specific to the products or services offered by that business. And it is those very expectations that can quickly turn an interested potential customer into a totally dissatisfied and even more importantly an unloyal one.

Possibly the reason for this disconnect is that business have failed to understand the wise words of John E. Kennedy who said that Advertising is salesmanship in print. When businesses put their words into print, they are actually opening the door to relationship selling.

Now all the behaviors associated with selling or what some call salesmanship have been unleashed. And that is the Achilles heel in many advertising campaigns. For once the words have been heard, the prospect now has certain expectations. And here is where the rubber meets the road so to speak.

Many businesses have invested incredible resources into Customer Service Indices. One of the most critical ones is about problem resolution. When a problem is satisfied to a client’s expectations, this turns a satisfied buyer into a loyal one. The key word here is expectations. For those expectations, in many cases, began with the advertising message.

For example, a hotel advertises a great night of sleep. As a business traveler who needs to be rested you are willing to pay more because an expectation has been created. However, the outside noise from another room where a party is going on keeps you up. You complained to the staff and they tell you that nothing can be done. The hotel is full. Your great night of sleep does not happen. Will you come back even if bed is very comfortable?

Years ago in the book Scientific Advertising, Claude Hopkins wrote that your marketing only works if it actually sells. However today, I believe we need to revise that statement because customer loyalty is the strategic competitive advantage. When acquiring a new customer takes 5 to 6 times more money than keeping an old one, your advertising must not only sell, but must meet the expectations of your target market.

Do you have the sales skills to build customer loyalty?

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