Marketers have a tendency to set their sights on creating a brand that people notice. Now, that’s no easy task in and of itself. But it’s aiming too low. After all, we need those we hope to serve to prefer the brand. But again, even that’s not the most potent aim. We should be aspiring to have them love the brand.
Starting with this as our goal transforms everything that we do. Most notably, we shift our approach from the rational to the emotional:
- We spend less time trying to detail why our features and functions make us preferable. While these things have a place in what we need to impart, they are too often the full focus — and how we engage ends up sounding like us talking about us.
- We spend more time understanding and imparting how we can make a difference in their life — or even better — how we can help those we hope to serve feel like they are part of something that is making a difference for another human, or a community, or even the world (I call this the Big Audacious Meaning.)
Getting to the ‘loved’ status has many benefits. Those we serve become more loyal. As a result, we find ourselves spending less time trying to re-win their business each time and more time on how we can deepen that love, creating a virtuous circle for our brand rather than a desperate clawing to retain…
