If you’re a CEO, you already know the quarterly game can trap you. I’ve watched too many leaders mortgage their brand’s long-term equity to please the market in the short term. That’s a slow path to irrelevance.
Brands that last, such as Apple and Patagonia, resist that pull. They know the real power is in earning customers for life, not just for this quarter.
Here’s my advice:
- Audit the emotional side of your brand. Know exactly what you mean to your most profitable customers.
- Identify your Brand Lovers. The top 20% who generate most of your profit and advocacy.
- Redesign your KPIs. Track loyalty metrics, including Net Promoter Score and engagement rates, alongside your financials.
If you keep sacrificing loyalty for quick wins, you’re training the market to treat you as a commodity. Shift the focus, and you’ll find your short-term numbers actually get stronger.