Authentic Marketing

The notion of authenticity has firmly established itself in the marketing jargon of the most successful companies, even though the concept is relatively new. Previously marketers would use quite a different method to 'trick customers into sales' by playing on their imperfections, making them feel inferior, and then giving customers a solution in the form of their product. This method is not entirely forgotten but seeds the way to authenticity. If you haven't mastered the skills of tricking customers into sales, communicating your brand's values genuinely, and radiating passion about your work where sales happen automatically is much of an easier method. Just because audiences you talk to understand your brand's Whys serves better than convincing. This new trend of simply being genuine as a brand is a new way of doing business.

Mission

The brand's authentic marketing starts when you understand and share its values and mission. You have a clear answer to the question of why your company does what it does, what it is trying to achieve with the work, how it improves its clients' lives. You are convinced that your company's products and services are the best in the given market, and you communicate these values to your customers.

Communication Marketing

When you are authentic in what you say and do, it leads to closer, more intimate conversation with your customers. You want to tell them your brand's story, share your knowledge and insights, become relatable, invite them into your tribe, and show them your product's true value. Communication Marketing is essentially talking to your audiences, establishing trust. Nowadays, the public is inundated with the amount of daily information they process and leave when they cannot relate to the message. They also learn to be more conscious about brand values and less tolerant to anyone trying to lie to them. Research shows that Millennials, who are the largest generation with the world's biggest buying capacity nowadays, don't buy products. They buy values. There are always alternatives to the product or service, but the winner is a brand that is true to its values and practices what it preaches.

Content Plan

Authenticity in communication requires a solid content plan, which leverages both copy and visual/audio content for your platforms. Those brands that decide to take one step further and show that they are open about their product, confident in what they do and want to be relatable, communicate their story, mission, values, and insights by showing their business behind-the-scenes, struggles, sneak peeks into operations, and host Q&A sessions.

Listen To Your Clients

Being authentic means understanding your clients' needs. Listen to them first and decide if your services are what they need now. You don't want to jump into a conversation right away introducing your product. Instead, you genuinely want to know if what you are selling is a great fit and matches the client's needs. You are so passionate about your product that you only want to bring value with it. Remember when you last went into a shop to buy some product from the domain you are not versed in, and the assistant turned out to be not just an expert but an expert who shared his knowledge with you? They asked you about your criteria, explained the details and product's functions, again clarified your doubts, and helped you choose the best product. You are a happy client. You spent 20 min together, while the assistant could have served other clients, but this investment will return in the form of a repeat customer who you are now. One can argue that it's merely good luck, and the assistants happen to be knowledgeable. I'd say that it's much easier to be knowledgeable about something when you are genuinely interested or passionate about it.

Summary

Every day more and more businesses adopt the trend and reset their values, message, and tone of voice to be and sound authentic. When a company misses authenticity, it traps itself in a one-time sales cycle and misses an opportunity to create a solid long-term customer base. Companies who embrace the new reality know that authentic marketing is not going anywhere, as it's the most genuine and honest way to connect. It's not a matter of choice anymore. It's a necessity.

Brand Visual Identity - Brand Marketing - Events & Activations