Apparently, quite a lot – but only if they trust you enough.

I was reading an Inc. article by Kimanzi Constable about Apple’s latest iPhone launch and the extraordinary loyalty the brand continues to command.

Despite shortages, long waits and a starting price of around $2,000, customers were still prepared to queue, wait months for delivery and in the writer’s case, hope for the privilege of spending $2,800 on launch day.

That made me think about what we often call brand loyalty. It is tempting to see loyalty as something created by clever marketing, brilliant products or a particularly devoted fan base.

But I think there is something deeper underneath it: trust.

👉 Trust that the product will deliver.


👉 Trust that the experience will be consistent.

👉 Trust that what the organisation says about itself matches what customers experience.

And that brings me to Sincerity, the S in my HACKS Code.

Sincerity in communication is not simply about sounding genuine. It is about alignment between your words and your actions over time. One sincere message does not create trust.

But when people repeatedly experience what you promised, believe that you mean what you say, and see consistency between the message and the reality, something powerful starts to happen. They begin to give you the benefit of the doubt. They forgive the occasional mistake.
They tolerate inconvenience. And, most importantly, they stay.

That is true of brands, but I think it is just as true of leaders. You can’t ask people for loyalty. You have to build enough trust that loyalty is their choice.

And perhaps that is the real lesson behind brand loyalty: People stay when your track record gives them a reason to trust what comes next.