Last week I met lots of interesting people and organizations in California. I talked with new companies who are trying to grow their reach and established brands who are expanding into new areas. After the meetings, I spent a lot of time thinking about marketing and branding and success overall.

Medium called 2019 “The Year of Authenticity.” Recently, there’s been an increased conversation about authenticity when it comes to social influencers and brands. Here’s an example from last week of an Instagram star who couldn’t sell 40 tee shirts to start a company even though she had more than 2 million followers. These examples popup from time to time and remind us that not everyone is authentic. Likes and followers can be bought. And that talk can be cheap.

Authenticity’s important. Think about it, would you marry someone you know is not being honest with you? In college, I majored in journalism and had a professor who often reminded us that the one thing you have in life is your word. If you cheapen it by not being authentic, you cheapen yourself, your brand.

We love choices.

In today’s world, there’s more choice than ever. As a consumer, I can get what I want, when I want it, delivered to me wherever I want. If one brand fails me, I can jump to another in a matter of minutes.

Consumers shop based on a number of elements. It’s part of the reason Amazon has grown so large. It shows all of our choices, tells us what’s similar, what other people bought, and allows us to easily compare multiple items.

As a consumer, I want a choice. I have it in all other areas of my life. I vote for who I want, watch the movies I want, eat what I want. So of course, I want to have a choice when it comes to who I buy from and what organizations I join.

An authentic organization is a great value prop because they understand this and will have a direct conversation with me. They show me that my time is valuable to them and my purchase is important to both of us. They cut the bullshit and have a real conversation.

Look both ways.

Today’s world is a society of choice and a society of caution. Consumers worry they’re going to be taken advantage of all the time. Think about the stigma behind used car salesmen, or salesmen in general. It’s not that we have a problem paying for something, but we want to know we’re paying a fair price.

It’s tough to get a consumer to change their purchasing habits partially for this reason. Why change? Consumers often fear to leave their comfort zone because it may be worse than what they already have and who has time for that. We look for comfort because the world’s a scary place.

When a new company is launched it is tough to capture market share because there’s no trust yet. It’s why free products are given away. Why influencer marketing has taken off. Why referrals are as important if not more important than any other form of advertising. Trust is something that’s earned over time.

The BS meter.

I mentioned in another post that consumers are making decisions faster than ever. This means they’re not only looking for immediacy, but they’re looking for an upfront message. One that they can trust in the flood of emails that fill their inboxes and are displayed in sidebars and on billboards.

Being authentic means your organization’s message can be concise, relatable, and organic. Authenticity cuts through the clutter. It forms connections. It creates trust.

Our values.

Today’s world empowers everyone to discuss their values openly. We’re open about who we vote for, which charities we give to, what brands we buy from, what we think, etc..

Part of the reason we’re so open about our core values is social media. It’s allowed us to find others who have similar values no matter where they are physically located. Make a donation and a share button appears. On election day, try to find someone who doesn’t do the “I Voted” post.

The internet is the great connector. It can be harsh, but it can also have a great influence on society and people. Digital platforms encourage connections. Everyone has a digital platform.

As an organization, you need to think about the role you play in the conversation. I shared a quote recently that said, “Brands are just the perception someone has of something– and those perceptions are formed through experience.”

It’s not enough for a brand to be neutral today. A shared set of values with their audience allows an organization to become a brand. It nudges one time users towards longtime users.

Let’s be real

So, is your brand authentic? What experiences are you providing your audiences to enable them to be a part of your brand?

The reason people will come to your organization is likely not the reason they’ll stick around. Audiences and consumers want to engage with brands, they want to feel supported. Being authentic allows them to feel and interact with an organization that they feel they can trust.

In turn, they will show how much they value their favorite brands. This will come in the form of photos and hashtags. As reviews and referrals. It will come in return revenue and lifetime customers.