Ezra has a valid point. In a world of constant “on”, the strategy for most brands has been to be, well, constantly on. Reaching out to past, current, and future customers at a high frequency to stay top of mind for that moment when they are ready to purchase. But, there’s an exhaustion emerging among American consumers. Collectively, we’re growing tired of endless advertising emails, daily texts from brands soliciting a purchase, and influencers showcasing the next new trend to keep up with. At some point, the silence from the “good ole’ days” feels refreshing.
In the age of noise, brands are now grappling with how to maintain a connection while also turning down the volume. How can brands stay top of mind without being constantly in eyesight?
The answer—the solution has nothing to do with the volume or frequency of digital communication.
Tell stories. Both B2B and B2C brands have an opportunity to take a step back from traditional outbound marketing that often highlights price and product. Rather, lean into storytelling as an essential part of your brand marketing strategy. Tell the story of why, tell stories of customer success, and create a narrative that both empathizes and celebrates your audience. The goal—resonate with why they are purchasing your brand. This applies to both B2C and B2B brands alike.
Build community. Even in a world so noisy with so much connection, humans are lonely and report feeling isolated. The brands we patronize provide a way of expressing ourselves—both individually and collectively. For some brands, it’s an opportunity to invite the customer to be a part of a larger story (reference Apple vs Windows in the 80s). When brands reframe marketing from a one-way communication at the customer to a two-way conversation with the customer—community thrives.
Be hellbent about alignment. Being a strong story-telling and community-building brand naturally results in segmenting your audience. Truth is, the stories won’t land with everyone and the community won’t resonate with everyone—and that’s okay. Leverage your channels to resonate with your ideal customer profile, the entire goal is to connect with those folks.
It’s easy for brands to get lost in the noise. As markets expand and new brands emerge, there’s a reality that the noise isn’t going away. My hypothesis is that the louder the market grows with an overabundance of ads, access, and constant communication—the less valuable those marketing strategies become. The brands that sustain will be the storytellers, the community-builders, and those that nail alignment over and over again.
