Act of Love

If you do not know it already, this is the title of our agency fifth core value. I remember a coach told me that if we cannot repeat the words of the person we listen to, then we are not “really listening” to all because as we listen, we judge. We still would not able to repeat the words entirely, but we know it is how we measure the attention we gave.

You might be wondering what is this have to do with branding? Well, it does not. Not in the way you have in mind right now. I guessed. Over the years serving various businesses and industries, I came across many brands each with the agenda of their own, trying to stay relevant to the products and services they provide to the market. During those meeting, the client fed me with the “who we are” most of the time. I remember I kept jotting down the “we are this” and “we are that”. And they told it enthusiastically. And then they silent. Pondering and thinking for quite a while before given me some answers. It is because I ask them these questions.

What does your customer think of you?
What do you think about your customer?
How do you think you can build them (the customer)?

The client claimed that they have the survey forms to get customer’s feedback. But let’s be honest, the data is raw and neutral. It tells us things about what we choose to focus. If we care and love our customers, we would be looking at the data quite differently. The conclusion might be the same, but yet the intention is way the world apart. If we would have this consistency of thinking and looking into things, we will build a meaningful relationship with our consumers.

Mart Neumeier said that there are five skills we need to apply to build a strong brand. I would dwell on the first two of them. Firstly is to see greatness in people. Secondly is to help them find meaning in their life. To me, both of these skills are to build and make the customer stronger. A strong tribe resulting in a strong brand. It is simple, and at the same time, it is hard. Maybe every action must come with an ROI?

Start to listen to your army of brand builders today, with a heart to help them and stop using those feedbacks and survey data to manipulate because we are all in this together.

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