Here at The Cult Branding Company, we’re always saying that 90% of customer behavior is unconscious. We’ll tell you that customers don’t know why they act the way they do. We’ll tell you that the vast majority of people aren’t aware of the psychological and cultural forces that shape their decision making.
We say all of these things, and for every one of you who nods your head and says, “Yes, that’s true!” there are three or four people out there who say, “Yeah, right. That’s baloney. People know who they are, what they want, and why they want it.”
The people in the second group are giving the masses credit for a level of consciousness and self-awareness that simply isn’t there. But we’re not going to argue with you. We’re just going to sit back and let Dove — a brand that does a superlative job of putting customers first — illustrate that our customers don’t even know what they look like.
Go watch this video. It’s short, work-safe, and guaranteed to make you better at connecting with your customers: Dove Real Beauty Sketches
Your Challenge: Knowing Your Customer Better Than They Know Themselves
Throughout the Dove video, you heard women describing themselves. Did you notice how many of their references came from external sources, rather than their objective perceptions? “My mother said I have a big chin.” “I’m forty, so I’m starting to get a little bit of the crow’s feet thing going on.” In other words, what other people said, or what predominant cultural beliefs dictate to be true, dictate how these women see themselves.
Other people don’t limit their opinions to your physical appearance. They have plenty to say about how you dress, the type of work you do, and the way you raise your children. Cultural beliefs evolve over thousands of years, dictating standards and decrying shortcomings in every avenue of human experience.
What Dove does — and what other successful Cult Brands like Apple, Harley Davidson and Ikea do — is stand up and say, “You know all those voices that say you’re not good enough? That you’re homely? A failure? Ugly? Old? What if they’re wrong?”
Providing Meaningful Belief Systems That Resonate With Your Customers
Standing up to a prevailing cultural narrative is step one. Providing an alternative belief system that resonates deeply and powerfully with your customers is step two. Apple tells their customers that they’re smart and creative. Harley Davidson tells their customers that they’re adventurous and free. Ikea tells their customers that they actually do have their lives together.
Dove tells women they’re beautiful.
It’s important to understand that telling is never enough. Successful brands back up their messaging with action. If you don’t know how to make movies with your new iGadget, Apple will show you how. Harley Davidson HOG chapters take to the open road in explicit celebration of freedom and adventure. Ikea’s catalogs are practically instruction manuals on creating a stylish, organized life.
Dove used a simple, powerful video to show women that they don’t see themselves the way other people see them.
Acknowledging the unconscious forces that shape people’s life experiences and pointing out that there is another way is a proven strategy for creating customers for life. To do this, you have to be willing to accept that unconscious forces exist, and take steps to understand what specific influences are most powerful in your customers’ lives. There’s a way to do this. We know what it is. Give us a shout when you’re ready to learn more.