New evidence from the HBR helps bust through the hype and hysteria around consumer engagement. I’ve oftentimes thought the idea of consumers wanting a “relationship” with your brand is not true for most brands. And the good old Harvard Business Review has given me some hard data to back this up, reporting on a study involving more than 7000 consumers. They suggest “Companies often have dangerously wrong ideas about how best to engage with customers.” I’ll say.

Social media experts claim that it’s not enough to have lots of people following you. What really counts is engagement: interacting with them regularly, and creating a 2-way dialogue. Here’s a classic quote, from The Social Buzz Lab: “There is an art to engaging in social media. Its not about your products or services its about building relationships. Whether its online or offline networking, its all about interaction.”

Myth #1 BUSTED: Most consumers DON’T want a relationships with your brand.

I’ve been questioning for awhile, if your not selling Prada, but are selling pasta sauce or pet food,  who in their right mind would want a relationship with your brand? And the HBR study confirmed this. 77% of consumers don’t want relationships with brands. As the report says, “In the typical consumer’s view of the world, relationships are reserved for friends, family and colleagues.”

So, unless you are a luxury product, stop trying to build relationships. Focus on doing what brands were invented for: helping people choose quickly and confidently to simplify their life. Make a good product. Make some good marketing to promote it. Sell it in lots of places. Period. Read the rest of this entry »