I'm a travel fanatic who thrives on exploring new cultures and cuisines around the world. However, booking airline tickets is one aspect of travel planning that always makes me a bit uneasy. Like many travelers, I aim to find the best deals, often spending hours comparing prices across different platforms. This approach led me to accumulate numerous loyalty accounts with various airlines and hotel chains, which were only useful when they offered the best price for my next trip. 

Several years ago, my perspective shifted when my husband suggested we become loyal to one particular airline. I was initially skeptical, particularly when he mentioned paying more for certain flights instead of choosing budget options. He explained that loyalty could mitigate issues like unexpected strikes, which he had experienced firsthand, leaving him stranded in baggage claim overnight, as well as provide flights free of charge when we had accumulated enough points. Essentially the proposal was that we work the loyalty points system to our advantage. 

Since committing to flying a single airline whenever possible six years ago, we've seen the tangible benefits of loyalty. Not only through multiple domestic and international flights free of charge for our whole family, but also at times when we’ve found ourselves in sticky situations. For example, during a recent trip to an industry event, I faced an indefinite flight delay. While other passengers were visibly frustrated and redirected to a lengthy customer service line, my loyalty membership allowed me a swift alternative at a ‘members only’ counter with no line. An airline employee quickly arranged for me to catch an alternate flight, getting me to my destination earlier than originally planned, while those in the other line were advised they'd need to stay overnight and catch a flight the next day. I questioned why my experience was so vastly different from one counter to the next. The answer was simple - loyalty. 

The concept of loyalty profoundly parallels with the restoration industry, especially in the realm of digital marketing. In this fast-paced sector, companies fiercely compete to be the first to show up on search engines, the first to be contacted during an emergency, and the first to win a job. In an industry where emergency service requires quick turnarounds, companies expect fast, priority treatment from their business partners, including marketing agencies.  

But what happens when fast turnarounds are out of your hands? 

Loyalty is rare in the marketing world in part because the best marketing strategies aren’t built on short-term, quick solutions. We’ve all heard the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” right? The same is true for effectively marketing businesses. 

Success in a specific market for brands takes months, maybe even years of steady brand recognition and strategic marketing efforts. 

This is a direct contrast to the pace that the restoration industry is used to moving in. Therefore, restoration companies' loyalty to marketing agencies is quite rare. 

I’ve seen it time and again. Companies frequently switching marketing agencies if immediate results aren't seen, leading to a seemingly endless cycle of brief partnerships and inconsistent strategies. This is similar to choosing whichever airline is cheapest at a given moment and acquiring rewards accounts with multiple companies - none of them accounting to enough to actually be beneficial. 

Research indicates that effective SEO strategies usually requires at least three to six months to begin showing results, with significant progress often taking a year or more. This time frame is assuming you aren’t constantly switching strategies or moving from company to company. Each time your company makes a switch, you essentially start the clock over on how long it will take to see results. Consistent partnership with a single marketing firm provides the stability needed for strategies to mature and succeed, similar to how consistent patronage of one-airline leads to superior service and useful rewards. 

Are there times when changing marketing partners is necessary? Of course. However, such decisions should be made judiciously. Even if you’re loyal to what you believe to be the ‘best airline’ there is, at some point they will let you down. We are all imperfect human beings after all. The same is true for your marketing partner. Instead, what matters is how they respond to errors and that you can trust they’ve got your back, even after you aren’t getting the results you expected. 

Loyalty with SEO and digital marketing agencies are not quick fixes. They are better thought of as if they were a relationship working towards the ultimate goal of a lifelong marriage. The relationship is a long-term investment. A solid foundation of patience and loyalty to your marketing partner can ultimately yield significant dividends, just as airline loyalty does. 

Ultimately, the success of marketing in the fast-paced restoration industry hinges not just on skill and speed, but on trust and loyalty. By staying committed to one marketing agency that you trust, you allow strategies to develop and mature, mirroring the benefits seen in airline loyalty. This relationship, built on trust and mutual respect, ensures that even when there are setbacks, you have a partner dedicated to finding solutions, proving that loyalty is indeed the most rewarding strategy.