Building Relationships and Brands
By George Anderson
The Gallup Management Journal says businesses more concerned with creating transactions than building relationships with customers is at the heart of the growing consumer cynicism about marketing messages.
“Overpromising (hype-filled marketing messages) generates transactions. It stimulates trials. But those trials won’t be followed by repeat purchases. Overpromising engenders customer disaffection, disappointing those who were attracted by an expectation that remains unfulfilled. The long-term consequences for companies, customers, and stockholders are anything but positive. And that’s a promise.”
Moderator’s Comment: How do retailers balance their
short-term revenue goals with what’s best for the company in the long run? How
can they make sure that their marketing/advertising promises match the in-store
realities?
Losing the confidence of consumers in the short run means
there will not be a business to operate in the long run.
Advertising and marketing shouldn’t be about hype. It
should be about the reality of a brand’s performance. Our position is simple.
If the reality doesn’t match the message, don’t deliver the message. No advertising
is better than communicating messages that convince consumers your messages
can not be trusted. [George
Anderson – Moderator]