Beyond The Hype.

Today's fortune is about leading by example to inspire transformation within your company.

Marketing is the voice of the business. It is how a company speaks to the world. It is how a brand amplifies its personality, values, and offerings. Marketing crafts and tests messages to identify the brand story that connects and resonates with people in a meaningful way. Through advertising, social media, content creation, and public relations, marketing is eagerly communicating what the company stands for and what it offers to potential customers.

Did I say eagerly? Marketing takes center stage in the public square, with its megaphone turned up to 11, trying to attract attention. If it means resonating and driving engagement, marketing isn't afraid to wear a big yellow banana suit, use flashing lights, hire skywriters and sign twirlers, or enlist celebrity influencers. Marketing will create animations, videos, eBooks, podcasts, broadcasts, webcasts, and even try holograms if it will promote the brand and win new customers. Whew!

Good job marketing! The company has new customers. Now what?

Moments after the purchase, product quality and customer experience must live up to the hype. If the product or service doesn’t delight, disappointed customers, a sagging reputation, and bad reviews will start to speak louder than the loudest marketer. 

Over the last two decades, online ratings and viral word of mouth have transformed the role of marketing, pushing it to the core of the organization. Marketing can no longer just attract new customers from the front lawn. Marketing must now wear white gloves to valet cars, open the shop door, guide customers through their purchase options, and provide instant answers.

Marketing must make sure that the business keeps its word, honors its promises, and earns the praise and loyalty of its customers. Marketing must validate every feature and benefit of the product or service they are promoting. They must listen to the needs and concerns of customers, and make sure that the brand speaks with relevance, integrity, and honesty. 

When customers feel heard, the market sees increased positive ratings, and employees believe they are part of a brand that lives up to its values, wonderful things can happen! The perception of marketing changes from a flashy light trying to gain attention, into a beacon of authenticity inside the company. This can inspire a culture of passion and enthusiasm through every transaction and interaction. By doing what today’s fortune says, "Set the right example. It will inspire others.", you can truly transform the core of a business, into its heart.