3 Ways Brand Influence is Changing Marketing
Graphic by: Kelli Binnings / Quote by: Marty Neumeier
Branding and marketing have long been intertwined. Often interchangeable and sorely misunderstood, branding is about the feeling you create within your audience's mind and the strategy you build to support that feeling, whereas marketing is how you grow that feeling through tactics and measurable outcomes. The brand is the show and marketing is the promoter. They coexist to support each other but they are not the same.
For companies that understand this and do this well, branding comes first with marketing and sales as a necessary second. They use their brand to influence their audience, empower their teams, and build an experience before focusing on sales. Marketing without branding is the same as selling out a show only to have the performer never show up. I’m sure we'd all be a little frustrated with that outcome.
So how do we fix this? How do brands use influence to increase and better support their marketing efforts? We have to take a different approach to marketing and learn how to scale through our expertise and our brand’s core value. Think impact before impressions.
One of the best ways I’ve heard this explained was by none other than Marty Neumeier, author of The Brand Gap, Metaskills, and many more branding must-reads, who said “Mattering is the new marketing.” Brands are no longer leading the charge through product and service offerings, it’s the customers who are leading the way and setting the expectations. How they feel, build trust-based relationships, and shape their identities through brands, means everything.
If mattering is the new marketing, then how do brands matter more to their customers?
There are 3 major ways brand influence can make your marketing matter to your customers.
Show, don’t tell. Brands have to live who they are, every, single, day. They have to consistently show their audience who they are across every interaction and customer touchpoint. They have to openly share and pour into their audiences to earn their trust, build credibility, and prove lasting value. Relationship building is no longer left solely to in-person interactions, they start early on through observation, expectation-matching, and value-sharing. Brands grow within their audiences by consistently delivering valuable content, aligned brand experiences, and behavior-matching, all of which cause marketing to focus on nurturing rather than selling. When you nurture others by being true to your brand, you show them how much they matter to you.
Promote and encourage individual voices. There are two voices within your brand ecosystem, your teams and your audiences. First, your team is your greatest asset. These are people who chose you, to be a part of your mission and help grow it. They could be at any other company but they are at yours. That says something. Create a supportive, safe, and rewarding employee culture that encourages them to share their voice and inspires them to be your cheerleader. Remember, your people have their own “personal brands” and network of influence, give them something to be proud of and excited to share. Audiences want to see a brand that treats their employees well because a happy employee delivers a happy customer experience, which leads to your audience's voice. A single interaction, good or bad, can go a long way. One person can share their experience (word of mouth or online) and either sing your praises or send you into brand reputation management mode. Encourage feedback and always give your audience an experience worth sharing. A single post, recommendation, or review from someone they trust carries more influence than any ad they see promoting your brand.
Personalize brand experiences. Customers know the power they hold in choosing a brand. Another fun fact from Marty Neumeier is the new reality that “Customers buy products to build their identities,” and when building their identity, they want to feel connected and a part of who you say (and show) you are as a brand. People want to feel special, courted, and appreciated for their loyalty and nothing does that better than personalizing a brand experience. Anything that can show them you desire to go the extra mile for them, a handwritten note, a follow-up call or email to check in or ask for feedback, or loyalty events within your active community to engage and create belonging in connection with your brand, all help inspire and expand “feeling” at scale.
With oversaturated markets, access to just about anything you can imagine, and price ranges galore, people are no longer swayed by products or services alone, they want something that matters, to them and their communities. You have to understand your business (and brand) model and know where all the touchpoints for opportunity are so you can infuse brand value into your marketing and sales efforts. Every potential buyer needs to believe in what you are before investing their time and seal of purchasing approval in your brand.
So, before you spend countless hours and dollars on traditional marketing methodologies, consider these 3* ways you can push the boundaries of your brand's influence to matter more in your marketing, building brand fans for years to come.
*For more ways you can drive influence and impact through your brand, download this quick read of an ebook “Transforming Brand Perception: 7 Actions to Change the Way People See Your Brand.”
