Myths of Branding by Simon Bailey

Author:Simon Bailey [Simon Bailey and Andy Milligan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kogan Page
Published: 2018-11-23T16:22:28+00:00

Customers may not want a conversation with you

As well as having a healthy scepticism for the idea that customers want a relationship with your brand, you should be similarly suspicious about the idea that your customers want a conversation with you. Most do not. This misunderstanding probably contributes significantly to the erroneous idea that most customers are seeking some kind of relationship. There will be times when customers want to talk directly to brands, but on the whole this will be to notify the brand or operator that something has gone wrong. It is vital to provide your customers with different ways of contacting you and it is very important that you listen, take appropriate action and don’t attempt to muzzle legitimate complaint. But don’t confuse these situations with a desire to start an actual conversation. Customers generally want brands to quickly and efficiently remedy any lapse in service and remediate any financial loss. In these circumstances they will usually find attempts to start a ‘conversation’ both patronizing and irritating.

The truth is that most customers would rather talk to each other. Most people don’t want to have a conversation with a ‘brand’. They want to talk to other people who share the same values, beliefs or interests as they do. Ergo, the most influential communities that surround some of our best-known brands often comprise fiercely independently minded individuals who are hugely passionate about either the brand itself or the activity to which it is connected. PlayStation and Harley-Davidson are two brands with very active communities. PlayStation provides an online space for gamers to connect. They have made it easy for users to home in on their specific interests or to find help and support. The site supports the creation of user-generated content and PS4 users can upload in-game clips directly online. The community is linked to PlayStation’s social media channels on YouTube and Twitter, allowing content to be shared by gamers, developers and key titles. Harley-Davidson has been supporting the development of its community (Harley Owners Group) since the 1980s. It reportedly has over a million members and is a community centred on a shared passion and lifestyle.

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