An insightful look, at what goes in, and what stays out, of a successful brand.
Prolegomenon
It's easy for us to understand how assumptive ideologies become a part of people over time from the absence of research and study. In other words if you The phenomenon of dogma has for some time been the lead discussion in social, political, and religious sectors, but what about dogmatism in your business.
What is dogma? How does it get inside? Who lets it in?
Dr. Kristene A. Doyle, Ph.D. wrote a short descriptive article entitled "The Danger of Dogmatism," for The Albert Ellis Institute, back in 2014. In my opinion, it's a firmly loaded explanation—explaining the phenomenon of dogmatism at its core and in various life instances. e.g. work, relationship, and social interaction. She wrote, "Dogmatism is defined as the unfounded positiveness in matters of opinion: arrogant assertions of opinions and truth. With dogmatism, comes rigidity. Rigidity, in one's behavior, is likely to result in maladaptive emotional and behavioral consequences." Doyle, Ph.D., Kristene A.
The questions of how it gets inside us or, who let dogma in, as the subtitle suggests, becomes post-secondary to the conversation of how hard it is to let go.
Dogmatism in business:
By the same token, of how dogmatism infultraits mans better judgment, businesses are also plagued with the same underestimated, unexpected, personality hijacking as today's newest meditation novist. Even more, and much like the plagued, it’s almost impossible to separate a business-identity from the philosophies, articles, and suggestive antidotes that inundated it throughout its existence. A business must first be aware that it's ideals, values and beliefs were overthrown at some point—a real coup d'état, and begin to pull back the layers of questionable traits, conversations and behaviors it needs to, in order to emerge authentic once again. Again, getting rid of dogma, or for that matter anything that takes hold over time is not easy. For many companies, much like people, it's easier to keep going, doing business as usual until the day arise when you've had enough.
What would happen if you removed products that you thought you should be selling, and focused on only products that brings you joy? Or, what would happen if you stopped saying the things you thought people wanted to hear and only spoke from a place of brand-truth? I'll tell you what would happen. You would have a brand-story so very unique and desirable, it would be ripe for simulation. . Adjacent to your brand being an industry leader, customers would understand you better. They would connect with your why, appreciate your how, and eventually reach a dual rational and emotional appeal for your brand.
Building Brands, Dogma Free
What's agreed by most business development influencers like Paul van den Brande, Whitney Kippes, and David Gram; Leaderships specialist like Adam Toporek, Annette Franz, and Simon Sinek, as well as a plethora of business economist, is that what, how, and why, not necessarily in that order, are the primary building blocks surrounding a company's success. Unfortunately, answers to the three building blocks, what, how, and why, by businesses who get it wrong, are usually mixed with the compounded dogma, aforementioned. And, baked into the business's identity, subtle and cleverly over time. It's hard for companies to rid themself of dogma.
If you don't already understand Simon Sinek's Golden Circe's concept, is my recommendation for you to give it a look and then another look. It's one of the easiest and most succinct brand-building models for you to use. I think it contributes to its greatest utility by being used before colors and logos are made. https://simonsinek.com/commit/the-golden-circle.
A Digital & Social Media Formula
Once you've done the work with the above-mentioned Simon Sinek model—getting you to particularity, because, if you haven't already figured it out, your brand's success lands squarely on its particularity times (X's) how well you're able to show that singularity to customers divided (/)by how often you engage.
Response Advantage for Digital & Social Media
If a company’s intention is to successfully engage customers at whatever level, and most significantly, by digital and social media it must rid itself of dogma and find its authentic voice—and fast in order to keep subscribers listening. The clearer a company is, about what, how, and why—the easier it is for that company to respond authentically, rapidly and with confidence of not besmirching the brand. Response options are narrowed, giving the company response advantage.
Tomorrow Becomes Tradition, no Fault of Your Customer
Inevitably, and without question, future generations will view DSM in the same way today's generation sees classical art, traditional, science, and a whole host of common behaviors as household as milk. In other words digital and social media channels are here to stay, well until the next phenomenon is revealed. Existing and emerging industries only need to figure out how to use it as well as those born into its existence like Gen .Z. DSM is designed for short energy bursts authentic to one channel's audience. Energy bursts are short by nature due to the ever-changing and increasing time constraints subjective of users. This is not an indictment on customers. It is, however, a wake-up call to company leaders who don't understand their customers trajectory whether or not that trajectory is influenced by its generation or the market.
Again, the customer is not to blame. Today's capricious, less loyal, and ever-changing customer is being led by growing social and economic-pressure and increasing competitive options.
Engaging with customers on social media is no easy feat. Successful contributors, called influencers, hire companies to ensure it's happening at a level free of dogmatic responses. Social media is becoming more centered on what is true engagement between pages, groups, individuals, and their subscribers. The race is on to reveal which platforms hold the highest levels of sincere, authentic, and original engagement.
Source References:
Li, Julie Juan, and Chenting Su. “How Face Influences Consumption - A Comparative Study of American and Chinese Consumers.” International Journal of Market Research 49, no. 2 (2007): 237–56. https://doi.org/10.1177/147078530704900207.
“The Consumer Is Changing, but Perhaps Not How You Think.” Accessed September 21, 2020. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-distribution/the-consumer-is-changing.html.
“The Golden Circle Presentation,” May 21, 2020. https://simonsinek.com/commit/the-golden-circle.
Doyle, Ph.D., Kristene A. “The Dangers of Dogmatism,” March 6, 2014. https://albertellis.org/the-dangers-of-dogmatism/.