My opinion is we should avoid tossing around such powerful words as loyalty when we’re designing promotional programs. “Customer loyalty” in the context of incentive based purchases is a misnomer. Loyalty is faithful adherence to something in good times and bad; at full retail or deep discount. Loyalty is akin to honor, faith, respect and even love. You cannot offer discounts in exchange for certain behavior and call that loyalty. So, marketers, in this supposed age of transparency, can we be real about this?

The airline industry came up with an accurate and well received phrase: “frequent flyer” miles or discounts. That’s real. Consumers are delighted to redeem their frequent flyer miles and these programs certainly drive repeat business to the airlines that offer them. The trick is to make the repeat purchase incentives realistic and within reach. People flock to an offer when it’s actually a good deal and they see the value clearly.

There is such a thing as real customer loyalty. You’ll never find a loyal Harley Davidson owner looking at Suzuki motorcycles or even the Harley-styled look-alike rice burners. Getting a tattoo of a manufacturing company’s logo requires some genuine brand loyalty. Few brands have that kind of cultural and emotional connection with their target consumers.

Think of a brand to which you’re loyal. From what does your affinity in the brand stem? It’s based on something you genuinely feel about the company. Various impressions and interactions made you feel good about patronizing this unique business.

In recent years, Ford Motor Company has earned my loyalty with both quality and corporate governance policies. This is after I swore that only Japanese cars would suit me. I am certain I’ll buy another Ford as my next new vehicle. Apple has many loyalists and they win that loyalty by making the lives of their customers easier and more entertaining. What other brands can you think of that earn real loyalty from customers?

Word choice is important when describing our promotions and offers to the market. I have come to ignore any promotion with the word loyalty in it because I know that it’s only an attempt to make me spend more money, not save it. Everybody else knows that too. If I do respond to a “customer loyalty” offer, it’s because I need the product anyway and the promo catches me at the right time. This is probably true of most consumers. We go for the most bang for our buck every time. Sometimes that bang comes from the feeling we get buying from a company or person we feel good about.

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We all want to make money, earn money, save money. Make no mistake. If you want to design and build the physical manifestation of your dreams, all it takes is money.

So how do you view cash, the most liquid form of money? For any business, having sufficient cash on hand keeps operations running. Cash can be summoned to fix all kinds of problems. Having abundant cash on hand provides investment leverage to lift a business up to a higher level.

In business, what’s the bottom line really all about? Cutting to the chase it’s always about making more money and keeping more money, and there is nothing wrong with that. I’m striving to grow my business, primarily in revenues so I will have enough cash on hand to hire people and buy things that will better serve my clients. I want to help my clients grow their businesses because, should I repeatedly fail in that endeavor, I’m out of business!

But looking at cash reserves as an end rather than a means is a dangerous viewpoint. I used to set sales, revenue and personal income goals as my primary objectives to be reached. The question became, then what? The easy answer was, if I had enough cash, then I could purchase things to make life better. Make life better…  In truth I just want to make life easier!  My mother used to say, “Money isn’t everything but it sure can smooth over the rough edges.”

Cash is merely a tool and a powerful one indeed. People ask how high you want them to jump if you dangle enough cash over their heads. Everyone needs cash to survive economically, whether earned or gifted. It’s amazing how enterprising and industrious a sloth will become when his gifts run out and necessity beckons.

I’ve been musing about money and many thoughts came to mind about the positive things cash can help accomplish. The more I thought about it, a list began to form as to how an ethically centered business would view cash.

Cash is:

A tool | An enabler | A means | A replacement for work | A commodity of the wealthy | Grease | Wheels | Speed | Help | A gift | Proof | Influence | A substitute | Power | A yes answer | Security | Repair | Bailout | Incentive | Opportunity | Magnanimity in motion | A SERVANT… What else can you think of?

Cash is also very shy, elusive and discriminating. It only follows value – value in the eyes of the beholder.

There is a marketing lesson here! What of value do you give in exchange for cash? Define it! Communicate it with precise clarity to an audience of beholders and you will unlock the vault. Customers will come to you. They will travel farther, wait longer and pay more for your product and service.

There is a moral to this essay. Remember this as you gratefully serve your customers and community: Any legacy you build with money stays right here when you go. Be mindful about what you really treasure within your heart.

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