I had an interesting discussion Rick Pederson of The Rom Group in Green Bay, WI. When I first stepped into his office I was sit on just getting some pointers as to what I should be doing in this current economic situation. However I left with more than I could have imagined.
From the research that his agency conducted they found that Brand is no longer king. They discovered through their hard research and work that due to technology people are no longer interested in brands. They can find what they are looking for for the exact reason they need it making them untied from a brand.
This got me thinking. What should you be doing building a brand or building a relationship? A relationship and a brand our similar but there are differences. With a brand people know who you are. However with a relationship you know who your customers are. You also become more personal to them. This willl help you gain more of their business and of course dollars. They will also see your mission and vision instead of just your slogan.
I feel that building a relationship is the new wave of what is happening. Lets call it branding 2.0.
