Have you ever noticed how comparatively easy it is to get an unhappy customer to switch to your station? And how it is all but impossible to get a happy customer to make a change?

Change is hard for most of us. Ever tried to change banks or financial planners? Yikes – I’ve never seen so many forms! You have to be really miserable to make some changes.

So why do many advertisers stay and many advertisers leave? Sure, it’s a tough economy and there’s some natural fallout due to economic factors. But when was the last time you truly and honestly analyzed your churn?

Think about your favorite restaurant? Is it your favorite because the food is so terrific? Be honest – you can get great food in a variety of restaurants. I suspect it’s because they recognize you when you walk through the door, the service is consistent, you feel comfortable when you are there and feel somewhat important, you know the server and she/he knows you, there’s fun conversation, they say thank you and ask if everything met your expectations, they show interest in making sure what you order is prepared the way you want it. Some combination of these factors, yes?

You get the picture? You feel recognized, appreciated, comfortable, important, listened to, and cared about. Oh, and the food is good too. AND, if you had a bad meal after many good ones you’d forgive them! Happy customers don’t change – they may experiment but they don’t change unless they find another restaurant that does it better.

Want happy clients? Apply those same loyalty factors and do it better than your competitors.