This is part seven in an eight-part series on building customer loyalty. Read part six.

One of the foremost brand gurus, Martin Lindstrom, conducted a four-year study that peered into the minds of 2,000 consumers across five countries to determine if there’s a parallel between brands and religion. After spending seven million dollars and reading minds with a functional MRI, he revealed that some brands activate the same areas of the brain as religion. He analyzed brands like Harley Davidson, Corona beer, Marlboro, Apple and hundreds of other commercial icons and discovered that we’re hardwired to believe in some brands.

We’re hardwired to want to belong. And, we’re hardwired to connect over commonality and culture. We like to tell people when we’ve had a good experience with a product or service. This is called word-of-mouth marketing.

One Nielsen survey of 26,000 Internet users said that consumers’ recommendations are the most credible form of advertising among 78 percent of the study’s respondents. With those kinds of numbers, it’s wise to invest in the ambassadors who can share your message.

So, who are these ambassadors? Remember your 80/20 rule. It makes the most sense to direct your efforts and reward those who are most loyal to you – the 20 percent who love your product or service and understand what you stand for. Smart businesses are beginning to take this word-of-mouth phenomenon online. Social media has become a great place for businesses to engage customers and would-be customers. These platforms allow businesses to take big strides in delivering information, updates and tidbits that people who love your brand want to know.

Next: Leverage Partners for Growth