Missed Connections

No, this isn’t some Craigslist ad where I saw some guy at Whole Foods with ripped abs and man bun who stole my heart and I am now seeking to find. Although if you were that guy I saw at Whole Foods while I was buying organic air, call me…

This is about the where the future of branding is taking us…and not taking us.

Every single brand out there has a story they’re trying to tell. The problem? People aren’t listening. This is where marketing communications are failing: CONNECTIONS. 

I follow Gary Vaynerchuck religiously. Yes, he can be a lot to take in sometimes but you cannot deny his genius. Speaking of relationships, in Gary’s book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, Gary talks about how to get your story told in a noisy social world. In this YouTube video he touches on this and talks about the difference between marketing and branding.

Branding is the long haul game. Summed up by Gary: Relationship building is what creates a strong brand: Instead of trying to sleep with someone on the first night (marketing), look to marry (branding).

Connect. Seek to help people. Come from a place of service. You might fail. In fact, expect to, many times over before you get it right but when it’s genuine, people will finally hear you. People will follow, people will want to marry your brand and not just sleep with it for one night. This is truly what will make a brand a winning one.

Effective marketing communication may ultimately be about sales, but it’s about PEOPLE first. It’s about realizing behind the Internet, are people who are looking to be inspired and moved. When you can make people feel something, that is what makes marketing content engaging, shareable, viral, and what ultimately gets people hooked on your product or service.

There is a time and place to ask for the business. In the meantime, build the relationship!