In my last post, I talked about customer engagement, and how we as consumers expect a response from companies. While this communication is great, it probably is not enough to generate brand loyalty. So how can companies draw us in, and keep us there? Marc Gobe, author of “Emotional Branding: Fuel for Success in the Twenty-first Century,” writes about the Ten Commandments of Emotional Branding, which illustrate the additional step companies need to take in order to become the preferred brand. One that really fits the bill is that of dialogue; companies need to shift from communication, or “telling,” to dialogue, or “sharing.” Not only do these companies need to hear what we say—they need to LISTEN. And they need to respond appropriately, and show what our input means to them. I demonstrated this a bit when I brought up ModCloth’s Back In Demand feature, but in order to conduct dialogue, emotions need to be brought into play.

I asked a few of my friends what non-profit organizations they support, and why they advocate those causes.

As a senior at Penn State, Rachel has actively supported the FDF by participating in THON, a dance marathon fundraiser founded at PSU. Because the school is so big, and because the cause is so ingrained in the school’s culture, it is a huge honor to be able to actually dance at the 48-hour event. This year, PSU raised $12,374,034.46 for the FDF. The money will go to families in need with children diagnosed with pediatric cancer. What money is left over will go towards cancer research. While she isn’t directly affected, the cause holds a big place in her heart.

Dani, senior at University of Delaware: Survival International

Survival International is an organization that helps people that are being abused by their government and having their cultures destroyed because of their minority status. Dani advocates for SI for two main reasons: she is an anthropology major, and she is first-generation US born in her family. While at UD, Dani has found a passion for studying other cultures and how they live, most likely stemming from her own cultural roots: her family originally hails from Cuba. Because of this, Dani feels like she connects well with SI and the group’s values.

Alex, senior at Elon University: The Poverty Initiative

The Poverty Initiative works to raise “leaders committed to building a movement to end poverty, led by the poor.” (Source) While she is not directly affected by this cause, she supports what the organization stands for. Her Nonviolence Studies minor allows her to take classes that question the status quo, and have fostered her thoughts on what we need to do to change our society for the better.

So organizations don’t necessarily need to support a cause that directly affects us—they just need to support a cause that appeals to our interests. Emotional ties and brand loyalty will grow from that initial spark of communal interest. In this case, emotions spur us on, rather than hinder our ability to accomplish things. But that is only the first step; they then have to carry out dialogue with us, and then take action with us. OR it could be the opposite, where they take action against us… but that’s a topic for another day. 

Both put the utmost importance in the customer, what they want, and further, what they say. But does this work? Does customer engagement really matter? As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. Companies that have conversations and build relationships with their customers are the most successful. We customers know what we want, and we love it when we are heard and listened to. 
(R)elationship and (C)ustomer before (P)roduct, always.