Does the Answer Lie In the “Terms”?

Am I the only one who feels the “terms” we sometimes allocate to define branding, marketing, etc. can create confusion for our clients?  I prefer to look at the whole issue in terms (pun intended) of “relationships”.  To me a good relationship, whether business or personal, requires both parties to benefit in some manner.  As a person, what I want from a good relationship is trust, confidence, laughter, support, and caring; a generally pleasant experience.  In return, I give the same.  As a consumer I want much of the same only in terms of product and/or service. In return I give my money and loyalty.

To reach that good relationship status does require a total experience.  However, it is the individual elements of the experience that create my impression or “branding” of the experience.  Those individual elements determine whether a person or company is going to be a trusted friend or a casual acquaintance.  I do agree that those elements have to come from a core set of values and be authentic. You can fool people for a while but eventually they’ll catch on.

Solid relationships or brand experiences are established by communicating, meeting needs, providing a positive experience.  The “communicating” requires using a variety of tactics to get your message across. Speaking, writing, facial expressions, gestures, and numerous other actions are all part of the mix that ultimately establishes a personal relationship as long-term or casual. That same variety (Customer Experience, SEO, Social Media, Public Relations, Customer Service, Engagement, Video, User Generated Content, etc.) has to be utilized in establishing lasting business/consumer relationships.

There is no silver bullet, just consistent positive brand/product experiences enabling the consumer to recall the experiences favorably, purchase the product or service and advocate for the brand/product in other forums.