While it’s absolutely possible to build a brand without passion in the short-term, it’s almost impossible to sustain it in the long run.
I used to work for a guy we called ‘Tony Timberland’ because that was all he talked about – he was an employee, not even a director, but he loved that brand.
People like Tony, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, even Jeff Bezos, they all have a serious passion that drives them to work hard and continually deliver brand greatness.
That passion leads to enthusiasm and adoration, which is infectious to both their customers and the people who work for them – it’s memorable and their brands are memorable.
I have worked with a lot of people over the years, I don’t remember them all, but I will never forget Tony Timberland.
Social Proof is #1
Consumers often fall in love with brands and become enthusiastic about a product or service, leading to word-of-mouth recommendations and referrals.
There is no better advertising in the world than word of mouth – it’s free, it’s from someone who can be trusted and it’s honest.
Amazon knew this and it knew that its own ‘word of mouth’ review system was corrupted – and more importantly its customers knew it was corrupted! In 2017 action was taken and the Amazon customer now loves Amazon even more – the sellers not always so much.
Leverage the Power of Digital
Passion also helps businesses to persevere through setbacks and drives them forward. What’s more, sellers now have digital marketing to make those customers fall in love with their brands.
You might not have the advertising budgets of Apple, Virgin, Amazon or even Timberland for that matter, but the good news is the internet and social media have narrowed the gap between companies large and small.
There are now tools than ever before, which offer even the smallest company a chance at establishing a brand in the digital era.
By developing a presence on social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, any brand is able to reach almost any consumer. You just have to know how or find out how.
But remember, the first step is always to love your brand!
