On Monday there was a great post on BrandingStrategyInsider.com (one of my favorite places for super smart brand stuff) about how today’s small brands can win. The author, Mark DiSomma, talks a great deal about one of the positions that I hold near and dear to my heart:

Branding is about intimacy. It’s about connecting with a consumer over things that really matter.

And do you know what really matters?

Not product features (they kinda matter). Not pricing (that kinda matters, too).

What really matters is how people feel.

The same things that are true in your real-life relationships hold true in your relationships with customers:

• Common values are required for long-term connection.
• Trust is essential.
• Everyone wants to be recognized, heard, and respected.
• And love conquers all.

I love DiSomma’s language when he describes what a small brand must do in order to thrive and survive: it must “scale its empathy” and “maintain eye contact.”

If you’re not looking directly into the eyes (and souls) of your prospects and customers, you’re missing out on your biggest opportunity for growth and long-term competitive advantage. 

Read DiSomma’s post here. I’ll bet you find comfort in the fact that when big brands mistake visibility for effectiveness, it gives you a chance to move right in, and steal the girl (or boy).

This is some seriously good juju.

Yesterday on the blog, I talked about motive. More specifically, the underlying reason you jumped into business in the first place… beyond the cha-ching. If you missed that piece, you can read it here.

In short, customers don’t bond with companies. Customers bond with ideals, beliefs, values, and world views.

If you want to form real connections (and believe me, if you want your business to be sustainable, you want to form real connections), it’s not enough to get clear on your motives and beliefs. You also have to articulate them clearly to the world. And you need to communicate consistently, over time, so folks will come to see what you stand for, and that you’re seriously committed to it.

One of the benefits of values-based connections that’s so often overlooked by business owners is the personal joy and fulfillment that comes as a result of working for a higher purpose. It’s one thing to have great sales numbers. It’s another to change lives or start a ripple in the world.

Wanna jump out of bed every morning? Put yourself in a situation where you’re consistently serving others or serving the planet. And then spread the word.

6 Ways to Communicate Your Beliefs to Your Customers and Prospects – to Facilitate True Connection

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