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Your Customers Aren't Looking for a Fling (Infographic) Three-quarters of adults say they look for long-term commitment from the brands in their life. But they aren't easily won over. As an entrepreneur, you are going to have to work for it.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Despite what rom-coms would have you believe, real love takes time, commitment and attention. You had best not try recycling canned, cliché pick-up lines with someone that you are really trying to impress. And for goodness sakes, pay attention. Pay attention to what the object of your affection likes, listen to anecdotes and don't forget what you are told.

The little things matter when we are talking about that priceless, intangible, oh-so-fragile thing called trust. So it is both with love and business.

Almost three in four customers are looking for long-term relationships with brands that recognize and appreciate their commitment, according to a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults commissioned by global-marketing company Responsys. And 34 percent of survey respondents say that they have effectively "broken up" with a brand that has sent them annoying or irrelevant messages.

Related: Mobile Marketing and the Magic of Push Notifications (Infographic)

If you send a disruptive message to a customer once, you might get a bit of a break. If you keep up with the annoying messaging, though, don't expect much forgiveness. Who has time for that? More than half of survey respondents say they have given their brand the axe after multiple instances of poor messaging across multiple channels.

Check out the infographic below from Responsys to assess your relationship with your customers.
Click to Enlarge+
Your Customers Aren't Looking for a Fling (Infographic)

Related: Time for a Talk: Don't Let Your Phone Be a Selfish Boyfriend (or Girlfriend)

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

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