I am still young in this business thing, but one thing is already clear: you don't treat everybody the same way.

Not in business. Not in comms. Not in branding or marketing.

If you don't understand your audience, you will create problems you won't immediately see. You can't send the same push notification to everybody. At a certain level, even sending the same email to everyone becomes lazy. People need to be grouped into behavioural pockets — based on how they think, what they value, and how they are likely to respond.

Once you understand that, your actions change.

You know who to follow up with aggressively. You know who needs clarity and directness. You know who requires patience. You know who you can move informally with, without a specific ask.

And you stop feeling guilty about treating people differently — before nko? Yes. The consistency is not in treating everyone the same. The consistency is in your values: respect, honesty, clarity, empathy. That baseline should never move. But how those values are expressed should adapt. That's what good brands do.

Loyalty programs are not random. They are structured recognition. If you are loyal to me, I will be loyal to you. Some people should get access; others don't. Some should get faster responses. Some should get concessions. Sometimes, people should feel like you value their opinion or patronage enough to give them first refusal on things.

For example, I love Hois. I think I have even reached the point where my love for the brand goes beyond business transactions — and sometimes the business responds with concessions and perks that make me happy, too. If you catch me in any customised tee, it is very, very likely that Hois made it.

Loyalty is earned. As a business and as an individual.

- O'gbemiro