Do you walk your talk?

by Francis Newman

Promise and fulfilment are inextricably linked to
brand building. Communications increase awareness, build desire and create expectations. But brand reality
is fulfilling promises over and over again - walking
your talk. That's what builds confidence and trust.

The truth in a promise is demonstrated through your
own experience. Did your last holiday live up to the expectations created by the holiday brochure? If so, then your experience verified or even enhanced the brochure information. Anything less would have disappointed you. Now you can speak from experience, which is your knowledge.

Information informs, knowledge is experience

Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is based on your own experience. Information creates expectations using facts, figures, theories and opinions. Knowledge is your testimony, which may or not verify your expectations. Information is certainly useful, but what counts is what's true in your experience.

Parents with teenagers know about this. With the best intentions, you try passing on your hard-earned experience. You want them to avoid the mistakes
you made. But you can't transfer experience. It has to
be earned. All you can give them is advice - information. So everyone gains knowledge through experience.

Effective messages always relate to
personal experience

Positive experiences repeated over time build confidence, trust and loyalty. This is how brands grow, not by acquiring more customers. Brand value is experienced and measured by the individual.
And everyone's experience is different.

As with friendships, people bond when they share common ideas and experiences. Effective messages always appeal to people's experiences and
self-interest.

The news media are expert at this. They're in touch with their audience and understand their fears and concerns. They write stories that get attention, sell papers and maintain an intellectual and emotional bond with
their audience.

People develop immunity to the repetition of news.
That's until it relates directly to their experience such
as September 11th 2001. The emotional bond unites everyone. The news media become the hub of
a compassionate society: providing empathy, encouragement and support - a unique and
treasured relationship.

Selling the dream

When products and services provide tangible benefits, testimony is provided through personal experience.

Perfumes, beauty creams, drinks and fashion magazines are often sold using aspirational ideas. They sell dreams, such as being more attractive, flamboyant lifestyle, looking cool, being more sexy or wealthy.
Their testimony is continued belief in the dream, not its materialisation. It's continued belief that creates confidence in the brand. When you stop believing the dream is over.

Whether you're selling ideas with tangible or intangible benefits. First, I need to have confidence in you, then
I'll start to trust you.

Francis Newman works as a copywriter, designer
and consultant.

© Copyright Francis Newman 2002-2006
All rights reserved.