We live in a world where we’re constantly selling and marketing a product or an idea. In a rush for sales, entrepreneurs often ignore the most valuable asset: a relationship with the customer.
Authentic marketing starts with believing in your product and then sharing that belief with potential customers. You’re presenting yourself and your brand with honesty and integrity, building a brand centered around your values. It’s not only good for your soul, but it pays to care, as these relationships you build now will remember you many years later.
On Season 6, Episode 34 of the Making Bank Podcast, George Bryant talks about marketing by beating the algorithm and focusing on human relationships. After enduring many hardships, George joined the military at 17 and started cooking paleo meals that grew a large social media following. He created a brand centered around authentic marketing, which he defines as using care and consideration in marketing to illicit word of mouth.
The Benefits of Authentic Marketing
One of the main benefits of authentic marketing is that it’s completely free. It’s free to care about your customer, and they will notice when you do. When you respond to customer questions, answer an email, or take the time to look at their needs, you’re creating a lasting relationship. This gives them a good customer experience they will remember, making you stand out in comparison to other brands looking out for themselves. Customers that know a brand are just trying to sell are off-putting. They have seen these strategies before and will likely be numb or desensitized from them.
Another benefit to embracing your values in business is that it makes your job more enjoyable. If you’re engaging in marketing gimmicks, no amount of hours could make them effective. However, you might push yourself into thinking that you need to work harder, leading to burn-out, but in reality, you need to work smarter. When you create content for your company, these values are already something you’re passionate about and will refine your audience’s focus by reaching your ideal customer. In comparison, when you’re burned out, you begin to phone it in, and you will become overwhelmed. Being an entrepreneur can be difficult, so why make it more difficult by marketing your product in an ineffective way?
Authentic Marketing Strategies
George Bryant states that business owners were spoiled when playing with the internet as a community. It started with us getting customers and billions of followers for free. Now it seems like we have to pay constantly for ADs to get noticed. These techniques can come off as transactional, and while they might give you a quick sell, they won’t create lasting relationships.
Bryant created his brand around relationships beating algorithms. He uses what he calls two-way long-term relationship marketing, where you respond to your customer’s reactions to your social media. This relationship builds a foundation that’s not predicated on a transaction. Bryant states that when people think they have a marketing problem, it’s usually a relationship problem. When you build on your relationships with customers it’s built on something that has a social trigger or brand awareness. Through interacting with and caring about your customers, you leave an impression on them. Even if they’re not buying from you, they will tell their friends about their positive interaction, and thus generate word-of-mouth marketing.
Modern marketing is not just about you. When you know your customer’s concerns, you can better position your product as a solution to their pain. Once you create a narrative that your products aid in their problems, it will get their attention. You’ll find that more potential leads will convert to real customers.
The Future of Marketing
In today’s world, your brand won’t make it without brand authenticity. While in the past digital marketers would do anything to make a sale, they know now that they have to reconsider what they say. In a virtual world, we crave that initial connection more because it gives you an experience, good or bad. People have more control over what they see now than ever before, and with all the user-generated content out there, it makes a prospective more suspect to anything shady. Fake brands with no quality and loyalty will be talked about just as much as good brands. Social media can make or break you, so it’s best to start the process by being genuine and consistently bringing value to your audience.
This is a Contributor Post. Opinions expressed here are opinions of the Contributor. Influencive does not endorse or review brands mentioned; does not and cannot investigate relationships with brands, products, and people mentioned and is up to the Contributor to disclose. Contributors, amongst other accounts and articles may be professional fee-based.