This week, Facebook hired the UK’s former deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, to be its lobbyist-in-chief. Clegg had this to say, “The company is on a journey which brings new responsibilities …I hope I will be able to play a role in helping to navigate that journey.”
Please. In honor of Clegg using TWO “journey’s” in one sentence, I’m re-posting my June ’17 post – “My Consumer Journey”…
I had the most amazing experience transpire over the past 6-8 months. I don’t’ know when it happened exactly or where I was for that matter, but I became Aware of a product I have now come to adore. For the life of me I can’t recall, but I think it was a combination of Digital Video, Print and High Impact Ad Units online (that the marketer was cleaver enough to keep uniform across platforms) that got may attention. A part of my consciousness had awakened that I never knew was there and it wasn’t long before I entered a phase of Consideration. You see, once I knew about the product, I did some digging. Lo and behold, the reputation management for this product was superb. Everything I read about it was as if it were written to satisfy my every curiosity. That was it – I then had Intent to purchase….it hit me like a ton of bricks! Coincidentally, I started seeing ads for it on every website I visited; not so much foreshadowing as it was a date with destiny I suppose. Intention is a funny thing. We all think we know what we want, but the truth is we don’t until we actually have it. Then it happened…. I made the Purchase. Guess what? Not only did I think I wanted it, but when I got it… I knew it! YES. No regrets whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I don’t know how I ever got along without it. I pledge my ever ending Loyalty and have no apprehension in doing so. I read somewhere a great quote on Loyalty: “Loyalty, that sense of where we consistently communicate and demonstrate our strong feelings of support, needs a foundation of reality and at the very least, acknowledgement, care, trust, and respect. On both sides.” On BOTH sides. My Brand and I are like a perfect mother and daughter symbiosis; a beautiful and harmonious mutually beneficial relationship has sprung forth. My journey was nearly complete, but like the circle of life, I needed to take that final crucial step and close the loop to ensure an enduring pact. That real moment of truth has come in the form of Advocacy. I owe it to the product for being such a difference maker. I speak of my favorite brand the way it deserves to be spoken of and it respects me the way I deserve to be respected. Would you not expect others to advocate for you if you had done all the right things? Put forth your greatest efforts? Not compromised when it came to making a contribution? Aided in enlightenment? It’s my duty. It’s giving out what we want to get back. I need my brand and my brand needs advocates for their products. In me they have created one. I was just a consumer but now I am that which other consumers turn to in order to gain information prior to any purchase consideration. 92% of people trust brand advocates, according to a recent Nielsen report. Finally, I have regained control.
Having traversed my way through the purchase funnel I am transformed.
My consumer journey is complete.
