We want to be in the right place at the right time. All marketers, business developers, people that play bingo or the lottery want to be there when good things happen.
If you’re top-of-mind you’re already there. If you’re not, how do you get there? Some argue brand awareness. We think differently.
The costs of raw data, including demographics and contact information, continues to drop. With volume comes noise. More data means we need better filters and the ability to cut that information into smaller, relatable buckets. With better defined buckets of consumers your message can be made more relevant and more effective by extension.
Being in the right place at the right time requires brand participation, not brand recognition. It’s the relevance of the brand community that drives consumer behavior, not a mark or logo. The brand has always been holistic. Brand equity as a measure of brand value could be misleading in today’s environment.
This idea of a brand community is difficult to wrap your arms around, but it sure sounds good. Social media is one option and loyalty programs another. Self-identification with a brand, yet another.
At the end of the day, we want people to buy. We want revenue. We want to be there when they are ready to make that buy-decision.
The marketing funnel becomes the engine that drives not just brand awareness, but more importantly self-identification and the construction of a brand community. If you can organize specific brand communities (and there will be lots of them) and deliver a relevant messaging, you will find yourself in the right place at the right time.
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