All great brands have one main thing in common – what they promise and what they deliver are aligned. In other words, the experience of the user, reader, or customer is the value-add component. Joseph Pine and James Gilmore first talked about our shift from goods and services to events in The Experience Economy.
Experience implies being affected by what you meet with – it could be a happening, an event, or an adventure. It definitely has to do with perception. These are not terms usually associated with business; they are however the quickest path to making your blog content sticky and keeping people returning to it.
You give something more when you provide an experience – it starts with a core, unifying idea. Maybe you are thinking – wait a moment, I do not have a product, or a service, this is a way to showcase my writing skills, or the way I think. Language too is an experience. Words are not mere semantic twists. Words are funny things – they can change everything.
So go take a look at your blog and think about the plot it conjures:
– Is it clear?
– What’s the difference?
– What’s the point?
– Do yo have a point of view?
– Are you selling a certain something? A lifestyle, a specific idea, for example.
– Do readers know what the story is?
When you are delivering a blog brand experience, people can’t wait to read the next episode. You will know because the quality of your discussion changes dramatically from merely following some advice, to delivering a story worthy of time and attention. Today’s marketers are contending with grabbing these scarce resources. You have the ability to win them over.
Experience takes a mere “it works” to “it leaves an indelible memory” and makes a satisfied reader into a member of a club, a fan. Can you think of a couple of examples of blogs that deliver a full brand experience?
Author: Valeria Maltoni
With New World attitude and Italian style, Fast Company expert blogger and Conversation Agent Valeria Maltoni demonstrates her unique talent for synthesizing marketing, public relations, and communications. See how customer relationships are always conversations, and why this knowledge is essential to doing business in the Information Age. Valeria also blogs at the Marketing Profs Daily Fix and Marketing 2.0.
nice post. I will keep my eyes out to have better words.
Thank you, Lucas, for taking the time to read and comment.
It sounds to me like you’re (mis)using the idea of a “brand experience” to represent a relationship.
This post is very great.learned some.
thank you.
Interesting concept. I brand my products, so why not my blog?
@David – today brands stand for what they do for people. Or, if you prefer what Interbrand’s research says: “The real power of successful brands is that they meet the expectations of those that buy them or, to put it another way, they represent a promise kept. As such they are a contract between a seller and a buyer: if the seller keeps to its side of the bargain, the buyer will be satisfied; if not, the buyer will in future look elsewhere.” For this reason, a brand is a business asset. Brands todays are relationships and they are more valuable than they were 10 years ago.
@Amy – individuals can be brands, too. And your blog is definitely an opportunity to build value in your business.