Roller derby and wrestling, once staples of late night and remnant weekend slots, have become mainstream. It was campy fun back then. It’s big money now. Where big money goes, so goes controversy. This one has lessons for you.

WWE is going to the mat defending itself after being featured in CNN’s expose, "Death Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling." In the days when wrestling was just fun, this story would have been equally laughable–as would be  options for fighting back.

The WWE is seeking transparency on this story, posting both the unedited interview and the edited excerpt used in the broadcast. Does CNN twist words with an edit? Or, do they drill to the essence of the comment. As Fox News might say, we report, you decide.

The bigger point: WWE is doing it right. Daylight is the best disinfectant and transparency is the most disarming defense because it is based in authenticity. Protecting your authenticity increases your messaging magnetism.

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Being handcuffed to a shopping cart isn’t the best way to build trust. But, that’s how customers feel about so-called supermarket loyal shopper cards. That’s because the premise of the cards violates a basic principal of attraction marketing.

Two-thirds of a typical supermarket’s business is done by 20% of its customers, according to the Food Marketing Institute. In the years since loyalty cards first premiered in 1979, that ratio has stayed about the same. Retailers’ intention of building more volume from more customers has resulted in just getting roughly the same volume from the same customers at a discount–to the retailer.

Last year the Hartman Group surveyed 989 shoppers nationwide and found that while 85% of shoppers owned at least one of these cards, about a quarter had three or more. I have four. How about you?

Reward me with special deals because I’m a loyal shopper. Sounds like a good deal. And, it would be if that’s how they were executed. Instead, these cards are just another leash yanking at the customer for the self-interest of the retailer. In the good old days of Attention Marketing, that might have worked–for a while.

Knowing what I want and helping me find it forges relationship, opening the door to loyalty. What if a scan of your card upon arrival produced a guide to where things you want are located (since they seem to keep moving; another retailer self-interest trick) and maybe offer discount advisories on similar or allied products. Or, what if the card produced a report each month of purchases summarized by sodium levels, fat grams, etc. Helping means understanding; understanding happens when interests are aligned.

Attraction Marketing is about connecting, not directing. Attraction works on an emotional level where trust stands guard with its finger on the button; cross it once, and you’re toast.  Loyalty is a two-way street. An authentic connection with customers built on mutual interest will attract long-term commerce. Deep discounting violates this principal; learn why after the skip.

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