Funny thing about the human brain. Functional MRI imaging tells us that when we look at a photo of someone we love it activates the same parts of the brain as when we look at a logo of a brand to which we’re loyal.
What?
Loyalty is an emotional connection. It’s not the same thing as retention. Retention and satisfaction will fool you into believing you’ve got a good thing going with your customer (or employee), until you don’t.
Loyalty is……love.
When you say you love your hairdresser, barber, car dealer, travel agent, travel site, bank, or organic coffee on Sunday from your favorite café, you’re talking about connection.
When we connect, even momentarily, to another (person or experience) with positive emotion that is a micro-moment of LOVE, according to one of my teachers, Barbara Frederickson, author of Love 2.0
When your customer calls and hears a friendly, welcoming voice on the other end of the phone, when the chat person uses an emoji and is patient while you try to explain your situation, when the wait staff or repair person uses affirmative language like “I’d be happy to,” “Sure thing!” “My pleasure” while they greet you with a smile, you get a small dose of love. And love expands us.
When there is positive emotion and connection, the bio-chemicals and actions that are produced by the body create a resonance that’s like an energetic charge. Think about it.
You get energized when you experience positive emotion.
Cool.
Dr. Frederickson says “Yet far beyond feeling good, a micro-moment of love, like other positive emotions, literally changes your mind. It expands your awareness of your surroundings, even your sense of self. The boundaries between you and not-you — what lies beyond your skin — relax and become more permeable. While infused with love you see fewer distinctions between you and others. Indeed, your ability to see others — really see them, wholeheartedly — springs open. Love can even give you a palpable sense of oneness and connection, a transcendence that makes you feel part of something far larger than yourself.”
I’ve noticed what I call an “Appreciating Cycle” in business.
It begins with satisfaction. Once you’ve met your customer’s (or employee’s) needs and continue to add value – like positive experiences – you invite repeat interaction. At every point of connection, you have the opportunity to put another deposit in their emotional bank account.
As that emotional bank account grows because people enjoy doing business with you, or love coming to work for you, so does love and loyalty. Round and round that cycle goes delivering more profit to bottom lines and if the company is smart, more benefits – like training and wellness programs – to employees. That inspires loyalty to the company, the brand, the mission and the purpose.
What if, in honor of Valentine’s Day this year, you were to re-think the part that love can play in building your business?
What if you asked every day, “How can I create more micro-moments of joy, positivity, happiness or love for others?”
What if you decided it was your job to build love, and not just loyalty?
Food for thought.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Valentine’s special – Use coupon code LOVE for the next two weeks and you’ll get a $77 savings and a sweet 55 minute coaching session with me when you decide to become a Positive Energizer! Learn more about creating micro-moments at work in the course: www.PositiveEnergizer.com
JoAnna
