Latest news with #brandgrowth
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Relationship Marketing: Building Authentic Customer Connections
Nitin Gupta, founder of QRCodeChimp. He's a technology leader with over two decades of technology development and management experience. A few years ago, I used to believe that flashy ads and crazy discounts were the magic pills to grow a business. And to some extent, they worked. People clicked, bought and left. But the ROI didn't last. People came for the deal and disappeared right after. That's when I had a hard realization: Growth derived only from customer acquisition is a leaky bucket. Unless people feel seen, heard and valued, they typically won't stick around. This led me to dive headfirst into relationship marketing, not just as a strategy but as a mindset shift. If you're building a brand today, let's explore further how authentic relationship marketing can give your business a competitive edge over your contemporaries. Defining Relationship Marketing Relationship marketing is more than just sending 'Happy Birthday' emails or offering loyalty points to your customers. It is about building long-term emotional connections with them and treating them as partners, not just as transactions. I've found that in an age where AI can write your ads and automation handles your emails, what customers crave is realness. When you focus more on listening than talking and more on serving than selling, you bring empathy to your interactions—a uniquely human quality. Why Making Relationships Matters Many businesses think that customer relationships are 'soft stuff.' I was no different until I came across a few eye-openers. Back in 2014, Harvard Business Review famously noted that 'acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one.' Now pair that with Temkin Group's findings for 2020, which state that 'companies that earn $1 billion annually can expect to earn, on average, an additional $700 million within three years of investing in customer experience.' The numbers made me rethink my modus operandi. I realized that customer loyalty is currency in today's hyper-competitive business world. And authenticity is one of the best ways to earn it. Four Lessons Learned Many businesses talk 'at' customers. Fewer speak to them. When I started actively listening to customer feedback (via emails, chats and even social media comments), I discovered gold. They weren't just telling me what they didn't like: They were telling me how to improve. That feedback loop shaped my product road map more than any market research ever did. I highly encourage you to establish a 'voice of the customer' channel internally and review it on a weekly basis. You may be amazed at what people are saying if you take the time to listen. People buy from brands they trust, and trust is built one interaction at a time. According to Edelman's Trust Barometer, 81% of customers say trust is a deciding factor in their purchase decisions. To achieve this trust, treat your customers like insiders. Share behind-the-scenes stories, product development hiccups, team wins and, most importantly, challenges. In my experience, transparency isn't risky—it's reassuring. It helps customers feel more connected to your brand, which can lead them to support you not just with their wallets but also with their ideas and loyalty. 'Personalization' doesn't just mean using someone's first name in an email. I've found that behavior, preferences and timing equally matter in delivering value. According to Salesforce's 2020 State of the Connected Customer report, '66% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations.' If you don't, someone else will. Research has found that businesses providing personalized product recommendations based on past purchases are more likely to increase repeat buyers. But here's the kicker: This has also helped my company reduce our unsubscribe rate. It seems our customers felt understood. Yes, you should use automation and CRM platforms. But use them to enable relationships, not replace them. For instance, many businesses use automation to segment users and trigger birthday offers. However, I've found that if the messages don't include a personal note signed off by a real team member, they're less likely to have the intended impact. Remember, you are chasing the most intelligent species on Earth, and having the right blend of tech and touch can make all the difference. With AI taking over the crafting of marketing messaging for more and more brands, it's important that you use technology to scale human connections, not robotic ones. The Future Of Relationship Marketing Let's face it: Consumers are changing. With shorter attention spans and higher expectations, trust is harder to earn. But here's the bright side: Customers are also hungry for connections. They want to support brands that align with their values and treat them like humans. Here's where I think relationship marketing is headed: • Community-first brands with loyalty programs that feel more like exclusive clubs • Empathy-driven storytelling that wins hearts (and wallets) • Cocreation with customers becoming the new norm • Privacy-respecting personalization instead of creepy targeting In the insightful Salesforce study, '80% of consumers said the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services.' That's the future, and I believe relationship marketing is how we can get there. Final Thoughts: Real Relationships, Real Results Building authentic customer relationships usually isn't fast or easy. But it's real. And it's sustainable. Chasing conversions is like sprinting: They may be helpful to achieve short-term results. However, if you're eyeing more viable growth, focus on building connections, much like running a marathon. In business, especially in uncertain times, I've found that it's usually the marathoners who survive and thrive. So, let's stop obsessing over clicks and start focusing on conversations. Let's go beyond likes and build loyalty. Let's treat every customer as a person whose time, trust and money we're honored to earn. Ultimately, relationship marketing can be the heart that makes your brand endure. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How To Organically Grow A Brand's Social Media Following
Brands don't need gimmicks to grow a robust following on social media—they need relevance, consistency and a clear sense of purpose. But figuring out how to turn those principles into actual results can be challenging. From building trust to encouraging engagement, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to organic social media growth. Below, 17 members of Forbes Agency Council share their preferred methods of helping brands reach the right audience and authentically grow their follower base. 1. Solve Problems Know your audience. Solve their problems. If your brand can't do that, it needs to take some time looking in the mirror. The rest is simple: Offer attractive content that's interesting and compelling. You can burn through the repeated tactics of other brands, but if you don't know your audience and solve their problems, you are just posting to post. Don't just show up; show out. - Ben Fant, Farmhouse Branding 2. Provide Value Focus on creating content that solves real problems or answers specific questions your target audience cares about. When you consistently provide value in a relatable voice and engage with your audience through comments and direct messages, you build trust, which naturally leads to organic follower growth. Authenticity and relevance always outperform quick growth hacks. - Ajay Prasad, GMR Web Team 3. Be Consistent Consistency is king. Show up with value-driven content that reflects your brand's values, tone and expertise. The moment you start chasing trends or bouncing between hacks to please the algorithm, you lose the trust you're trying to build. - George Arabian, NVISION 4. Use Short Videos Post short videos that speak directly to your audience, and do it consistently. Then, engage, respond back, reply to comments, ask questions and join conversations. - David Ispiryan, Effeect Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify? 5. Build From The Inside Out The best way to grow real followers is to start by activating your internal champions: employees, partners, customers and people who already believe in what you do. They are your most credible advocates. Then, consistently share content that adds value, not noise. Make your brand feel human, and growth becomes a byproduct of resonance. - Jacquelyn LaMar Berney, VI Marketing and Branding 6. Stay Consistent And Fresh Growing a social media following can be accelerated initially, but maintaining and expanding that audience over time relies on consistent engagement and the regular posting of fresh, relevant content. Prioritizing authentic, organic strategies helps reach the brand's target audience effectively and fosters genuine connections. - Jessica Hawthorne-Castro, Hawthorne Advertising 7. Focus On Community The first part is community, which, on any platform, means engaging more and contributing to others' content to create real connections, not just followers. Then, you have collaborations, which on Instagram is a specific feature that allows you to collaborate with up to five other accounts and cross-pollinate all the accounts' reach. - Tony Pec, Y Not You Media 8. Partner Up On Giveaways The preferred way to grow your following organically? Show up consistently with a strong brand voice and content your audience actually cares about. A smart add-on would be to implement giveaways with like-minded, non-competing brands to expand your reach among your target audience. There's no overnight fix to grow your following—just consistency, value and staying true to your voice. - Marilyn Cowley, PREM - PR & Social 9. Talk Like A Human, Not A Brand Talk to your followers like actual humans. That's the secret. Post helpful stuff, sure—but also reply to comments, ask questions in stories and show your face. Real connection beats perfect content. Most brands forget: People follow people, not logos. - Jimi Gibson, Thrive Agency 10. Collaborate With Niche Creators Grow real followers by sharing consistent, audience-focused content, collaborating with niche creators, engaging actively in comments and direct messages and encouraging user-generated content. Use short-form videos, trends and storytelling. Optimize for each platform and track what drives organic growth to repeat success. - Elijah Schneider, Modifly 11. Create Content Worth Sharing In A Group Chat Stop chasing trends and start publishing content your audience would share in a group text. People follow brands that inform, challenge or entertain them, not brands that talk about themselves. Prioritize relevance and resonance over reach. Attention is earned, not gamed. - Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations 12. Be Where The Eyes Are Think: YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok videos. When it comes to YouTube Shorts, even the biggest content creators have been investing far more time in snackable short-form content to attract and grow their audiences. If you find specific 'shorts' content attracting more views, create more of this type of content and push it on other platforms. - Bernard May, National Positions 13. Cater To Your Niche Foster engaged micro-communities around your niche using interactive content like polls, Q&As and challenges. Host relevant giveaways that genuinely matter to your audience. Keep followers engaged by spotlighting their stories and inviting them to co-create content. This authentic, dialogue-driven model fosters sustainable, targeted growth. - Lars Voedisch, PRecious Communications 14. Craft Episodic Narratives Anchor growth in a storytelling cadence. Craft episodic narratives that mirror your audience's journey, then seed fragments via niche advocates with aligned networks. Layer authentic Q&A livestreams to surface user voices, spark peer advocacy and amplify reach. Continuously monitor key metrics and iterate rapidly. - Vaibhav Kakkar, Digital Web Solutions 15. Build Recall Through Originality Don't chase followers; build memory. The most sustainable way to grow a genuine audience is to convey a distinct point of view in various formats across multiple platforms and post original thinking on Substack or your site. Turn that into native social media content, short-form clips, podcast episodes and quote cards. Systems beat stunts. Visibility compounds. - Kyle Arteaga, The Bulleit Group 16. Amplify Executive Thought Leadership Organic social growth demands high-value content, executive thought leadership and strategic amplification. Share insights that educate or solve problems, engage consistently, co-create with aligned voices and repurpose smartly. Use platform-native formats, SEO-driven captions and consistent posting to build trust and visibility. - Amy Packard Berry, Sparkpr 17. Boost Value-Aligned Content My preferred method is boosting content that's relevant to the target audience. While content creation has mathematical rules regarding timing, format and frequency, the real key is understanding your audience's values. Tailoring content to specific interests and strategically boosting it to reach aligned communities drives organic growth and meaningful engagement. - Cagan Sean Yuksel, Dreamspace
Zawya
19-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Centurion Properties appoints Media Mantra Consulting as PR partner to drive brand growth in Dubai
The partnership is aimed at driving brand growth, digital reputation, and strategic communications for Dubai's reputed real estate developer. This collaboration also underscores Media Mantra Consulting's leadership and expertise in Dubai's real estate communications landscape. Dubai : Media Mantra Consulting, a leading PR and integrated communications agency, is pleased to announce the addition of Centurion Properties, one of Dubai's most trusted real estate developers, to its growing client roster in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This new partnership highlights Media Mantra's growing influence in the region's real estate sector and its ability to deliver results-driven communications for industry leaders. As part of the new mandate, Media Mantra Consulting will provide Centurion Properties with an extensive suite of services, including brand enhancement, strategic planning and counselling, media relations, digital reputation management, and crisis communications. By combining these services, the agency aims to help Centurion Properties communicate its value to a wider audience, strengthen its reputation, and support business growth in Dubai's competitive market. Mr Udit Pathak, Founder Director of Media Mantra Consulting, said, "We're excited to join hands with Centurion Properties, a company that shares our belief in the power of clear, honest communication. By combining our deep understanding of the real estate sector with our multi-platform communication capabilities, we are well-positioned to help Centurion build a stronger brand presence, manage reputation, and reach new audiences. We look forward to supporting Centurion's vision with strategies that drive real business outcomes." Centurion Properties, founded in 2013, has carved a niche for its innovative approach to development and its focus on creating communities that strike a balance between design, sustainability, and quality. Its portfolio includes landmark projects such as Sola Residences and Flora Isle that have set new benchmarks for urban living and commercial excellence in Dubai. With five projects completed and delivered, another five launched, and over ten projects in the pipeline, Centurion is at the forefront of redefining urban living, making lasting contributions to the city and its inhabitants. Mr Moksh Garg, Chief Marketing Officer of Centurion Properties, said, "Media Mantra Consulting brings a wealth of experience and a track record of success in real estate communications. We are confident that their strategic approach will help us articulate our vision, connect with our community, and reinforce our reputation as a leader in the industry. This collaboration will play a key role in supporting our growth and ongoing commitment to excellence." Media Mantra Consulting's expertise is rooted in years of experience serving top real estate brands. The agency's Dubai office has become a trusted partner for companies seeking to navigate the city's dynamic business environment and communicate their vision with clarity and impact. It remains dedicated to providing strategic, insight-driven communication solutions that reflect the unique needs of each client. About Media Mantra Consulting Media Mantra Consulting, the international arm of Media Mantra Group, is a leading PR and integrated communications agency in Dubai. Known for its rich expertise in public relations, crisis management, reputation management, digital strategy, and content marketing, the agency serves a list of reputed clients across multiple sectors, including real estate. Bolstered by a team of experienced professionals, it specialises in providing strategic thinking and tailored communication solutions that effectively cater to the unique needs of its clients. As one of the most trusted PR firms in Dubai, the agency taps into the region's rich culture, entrepreneurial spirit, and dynamic digital-first environment to craft locally resonant, trend-aligned campaigns that reflect the region's progressive values and global ambitions. About Centurion Properties Founded in 2013, Centurion Properties stands as a beacon of innovation in real estate development, transforming urban landscapes into vibrant spaces where people can live, work, and thrive. As industry pioneers at the forefront of innovation, Centurion crafts modern, sophisticated spaces that set new benchmarks for elegance and exclusivity. Renowned for their commitment to intricate design and high-end living, Centurion Properties transforms urban environments into vibrant communities where residents can truly flourish. With each project, the company delivers unique and luxurious experiences that not only meet the needs of today but also anticipate the desires of tomorrow's discerning clientele, setting the gold standard for luxury living in Dubai's ever-evolving skyline.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Authentic Brands Group Taps Amazon Exec to Head Marketplace Effort
Authentic Brands Group has brought Amazon executive Tim Derner on board as its new global head of marketplaces. Derner had been at Amazon for more than a decade, serving most recently as director of Amazon Fashion and Luxury Stores where he played a pivotal role in transforming that division into the world's largest fashion retailer. More from WWD France Moves to Curb 'Ultra-fast' Fashion With Bill Targeting Shein and Temu Rebag Expands Access to Pre-loved Luxury Goods With New Amazon Collaboration David Beckham, Jamie Salter Inaugurate Authentic Brands Group APAC Headquarters in Shanghai During his time there, he worked closely with Authentic to significantly expand the online presence of several of its brands including Reebok, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Aeropostale and others. At Authentic, Derner will spearhead the expansion of the company's global distribution strategy, with a focus on strengthening partnerships, accelerating brand reach and driving incremental value across platforms, the company said. He reports to Matt Maddox, president, and will work closely with Adam Kronengold, chief digital officer, and Jarrod Weber, global president of sports and lifestyle. 'Marketplaces are a critical engine for long-term brand growth,' said Maddox. 'Tim's track record of building high-performing teams and scaling digital marketplaces worldwide makes him the ideal leader to deepen our capabilities in this space. His appointment marks a significant step in making this channel a cornerstone of our global distribution strategy.' 'Authentic has built an unparalleled portfolio, and there's an incredible opportunity to reimagine how iconic brands show up on global marketplaces,' Derner said. 'We're just scratching the surface of what's possible when great brands are optimized for discovery and conversion at scale, and I'm thrilled to help build on that momentum through world-class marketplace execution.' Authentic owns more than 50 brands and generates about $32 billion in annual retail sales. Best of WWD Kate Middleton's Looks at Trooping the Colour Through the Years [PHOTOS] Young Brooke Shields' Style Evolution, Archive Photos: From Runway Modeling & Red Carpets to Meeting Princess Diana The Most Memorable French Open Tennis Outfits With Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka & More [PHOTOS]
Forbes
11-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Tracksuit's $25 Million Raise Shows How Brand Metrics Drive Growth
Brands are the moat. getty Where product-led growth was the growth hacker's mantra of the 2010s, brand-led growth is the moat for the 2020s. Yet most dashboards still focus only on the bottom of the funnel, measuring the five percent of buyers ready to purchase now and ignoring the 95 percent of the market who are ripe for conversion tomorrow. The underutilized state of brand measurement is not because companies don't understand how important brands are in today's economy. On the contrary, Nielsen's surveys have for years shown that the vast majority of marketers agree that brand awareness is the single most important metric in judging marketing success. Marq's State of Brand Consistency reports offer a validating corollary, noting how brand consistency across channels can lift revenue by almost a third. Instead of ignorance, the issue is rooted in uncertainty. 'Half my advertising spend is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half.' The line, usually credited to U.S. department-store pioneer John Wanamaker, resonates particularly strongly when it comes to brand building, not least because of how most executives can quote their CAC to the cent yet are forced to a shrug when asked what moved the needle on brand love. Given the obvious demand for better brand metrics, it's no surprise to see startups and established companies alike venture deeper into the field. One sign of this transformation is Tracksuit's recent $25 million Series B that puts brand measurement front and center. 'Our goal is to create a common language that helps marketers, boards and agencies all understand how their initiatives are performing and contributing to business growth,' said Matt Herbert, Co-Founder of Tracksuit. Zoom out and you'll see the latest funding is part of a broader shift. We are entering an era where brand will no longer be judged by feel or familiarity alone, but by data. Just as HR evolved from gut instinct to people analytics, branding is now heading into its own enlightenment. What follows may well redefine what it means to grow, because if you can measure what people remember, you can shape what they choose. From the Edelman Trust Barometer which is now in its 25th year of tallying public confidence to real-time platforms like Morning Consult, which polls more than 2,000 brands across 40-plus markets, the ecosystem of measurement providers has long been at work to close marketing's most expensive blind spot: knowing whether brand spend actually compounds. The most prominent trend at play today is the adoption of a data-first mindset. Where CROs have Salesforce and CFOs have Datarails, venture capitalists such as VMG Partners are betting on CMOs soon finding brand measurement companies like Tracksuit equally indispensable. 'We see brand performance management as the next must-have system of record for consumer-facing businesses,' Sam Shapiro, Partner at VMG Partners, begins. 'Brand is a company's most important asset, and there's no excuse for not quantifying it accordingly,' Shapiro continues, reflecting VMG's bullish thesis on the market research services industry which it expects to grow in importance in the coming years. With a portfolio ranging from KIND Snacks to Spindrift, VMG has long backed companies build around brand equity, and the technology companies that support the VC industry is making increasingly bold bets on consumer-facing startups as exemplified by Kirsten Green who recently made Forbes' 2025 Midas List, reflecting a broader shift towards what BCG sees as the consumer's growing appetite for brands tailored to their lifestyle. As the money is beginning to pour in, measurement startups are racing to meet the moment. 'Marketing measurement was broken for too long, as most modern tools don't offer a full picture, leaving them without the holistic view they need to understand their brand's true impact and position in the market,' Herbert says. 'The VC interest in our industry is coinciding with a new reality on the client side where not having metrics on how your brand is doing is no longer acceptable. This is where companies like ours are finding our opportunity to strike, as we're meeting a growing demand from brands for the insights they need to make better business decisions,' Herbert continues. The commercial traction seems to validate Herbert's argument, with Tracksuit claiming 1,000 paying customers and 240 percent YoY U.S. growth, serving names from Steve Madden to Opendoor. Moreover, the round's oversubscription signals how institutional investors are ready to underwrite a new category altogether: brand performance management. At its core, the resurgence of brand measurement is a response to structural shifts in how growth is built and defended. As product features become easier to copy thanks to AI and the Tiktok economy makes attention spans shorter, the strength and clarity of a brand increasingly decide who wins. Matthew Kerbel, Global Brand Strategy Director of Turo, the car-sharing marketplace, puts it plainly: 'We believe the idea that brand isn't measurable is a myth. Connecting brand efforts to business results and speaking the language of company leadership has become imperative, and requires a clear understanding of how our brand resonates with consumers.' Caleb Pearson, VP of Media and Digital at McDonald's, agrees. ' If you're just using data for marketing, you're leaving a lot of growth on the table. Companies should be using customer data throughout the whole customer experience, with brand awareness and consideration being a key component thereof.' What we're witnessing now is the early-stage statistification of the brand. Just as HR teams once moved from gut-based hiring to competency frameworks, pulse surveys, and predictive analytics, brand is now undergoing its own transformation from instinct and intuition to repeatable, comparative metrics. 'Brand marketing has traditionally been out of reach, especially for mid-market companies, because of the cost and complexity, making it difficult for them to know where to focus and prove the ROI,' Herbert noted. Daily polling and real-time dashboards are essentially doing for brand what SAP and Workday did for people operations: turning the invisible into numbers you can act on. In many ways this is only the beginning, given how statistification tends to lead to scientification. As the industry continues to collect more consistent, high-quality longitudinal data, we'll begin to see patterns of observations from what kinds of campaigns build salience faster, how emotional affinity affects pricing power, to why certain brand archetypes outperform in specific markets. This new generation of insight will help generate testable theories about how brands behave over time, under pressure, across categories. In short, we'll start to understand brand performance with the same rigour and predictive power that finance teams bring to cash flow and margin. For business leaders, this data-driven shift demands a mindset change. The first shift is acknowledging that brands are no longer soft assets. Instead, they're performance engines for which we finally have dashboards. Here's how to start using it. Making the shift to a brand performance mindset doesn't require a complete overhaul, what you need is a clearer lens and a willingness to look. The place to start is a brand audit. Map your awareness, consideration, and perception levels compared to your competitive set. Where are you losing memory share? Where are you punching above your weight? Next, set internal goals and metrics that bring brand performance into the boardroom. Treat salience, sentiment, and top-of-funnel engagement like you would retention or CAC, key business levers that deserve quarterly tracking and cross-functional accountability. Finally, invest in measurement with the same seriousness as media spend. Great brand activity without measurement is a loud party with no guest list, you won't know who showed up, what they remember, or if they'll come back. Herbert emphasizes, 'It's not just about tracking individual campaigns, but always measuring brand health to understand how every activity contributes to long-term growth.' And remember, thanks to AI all of the features your engineers are proud of can be cloned, and consumer attention is more fleeting than ever. What sticks is the brand, and it's your job to prove it.
