Where Does Marketing Authenticity Lead?

When it comes to marketing, people are almost always looking for a destination. And while in real life we realize that there's not just ONE way to reach ONE destination—after all, many roads lead to the same place—we tend to get suckered into that way of thinking in marketing.

But Marketing Authenticity is about going YOUR way. To YOUR destination.

And if many roads can lead there, does it really matter which way you go?

So, let's skip the CRITICAL part of the Marketing Authenticity practice—figuring out where your going and how to go there YOUR way—and just look at the destination. And if any of the below destinations are on your travel list, then maybe it's worth taking a look at what an Authentic Marketing journey could do for you :)

Destination = Revenue Growth

I would like to believe that this is a destination ALL marketers are going, but that's not necessarily true (there are lots of other meaningful places outlined below as well), BUT it IS a destination that most businesses are measuring when it comes to marketing. When we talk about things like increasing qualified leads, conversion rates or average deal size, they fall into this category.

Why do people go there? Well, because growth fuels sustainability and innovation. And our ability to pay our people to do their jobs.

And how can authenticity get you there? By attracting the right customers who are more likely to buy, refer, and stay. After all, average deal sizes tend to go up when you're doing business with people who really NEED your solution. Same with conversion rates; and wanna talk about a lead actually being qualified? That's related to it being with the right person with the right need...not because someone downloaded a free white paper from your website.

Destination = Market Leadership

I think we'd all like to be in the category of "Market Leader", right? But what does it take to actually get there? Commonly, we are distracted by doing what other people have done to get there. But how is that going to unseat a current giant in your industry. Oh wait, it's not.

Why do people go there? I always think, at the end of the day, it's to SHAPE trends rather than chase them. Which we can run in circles doing for a LONG time.

And how can authenticity get you there? By creating a voice so distinct and values-driven that it stands out, even in crowded markets. One of the best things a boss of mine ever told we was, if you don't have any competition, you don't have a market. So let's assume you need to standout ni the crowd. Do you do that by doing all the same things as your competitor. Heck no. You do that by doing what only YOU would do.

Destination = Brand Affinity

Let's throw loyalty into this category too, although I prefer the word affinity because I think it speaks better to the human alignment between brands and customers. Either way, here we're talking about having customers who love you, who keep coming back, who refer you to other people, and intend to keep doing that.

Why do people go there? As most marketers know, retention is more profitable than acquisition. It can cost up to 7x's more to get a new client than to retain one.

And how can authenticity get you there? By creating experiences. Not transactions. Which may actually conflict with your Revenue Growth destination if you're not careful. But we all know this is true because we all do it ourselves. We go back to the brands that feel GOOD to us. And whether that's based on them being human, honest, or values-aligned, we'll only keep going back there if the FEELING is the same. Without authenticity? Feelings aren't even part of the equation.

Destination = Audience Clarity

Ok, let's use the word "clarity" here with a grain of salt, because humans are innately unclear. But it's often marketing's job to figure out who the ideal customers are, where they are, what they're talking about, what they need...etc. And honestly, without that time-stamped clarity, it makes it very difficult to find who you're looking for.

Why do people go there? Quite simply, you can’t market well to people you don’t understand.

And how can authenticity get you there? By forcing honest reflection on who you're actually FOR; and who you're not. And it doesn't add a level of complexity by saying, "you're people are like THIS, and you are like THAT, so here's how you need to be DIFFERENT to connect with them". It's based on BEING YOURSELF, and connecting with people who are like you by nature. Not by nurture.

Destination = Strategic Differentiation

This one kind of goes hand in hand with Market Leadership—based on you leading in YOUR space and not just THE space—but often it's looked at separately, so we'll do so here as well. After all, you can be DIFFERENT and not lead.

Why do people go there? This one is SUPER important to me and it's to escape the commodity trap (please stop turning your skills into a commodity!)

And how can authenticity get you there? By helping you unearth what’s truly yours—your origin story, your values, your quirks, your way of doing things—and turning that into your market edge. Again, this is not about meeting some pre-defined requirements that someone else createdl it's about being YOU and allowing that to stand on it's own.

Destination = Operational Efficiency

Ok, so firstly I need to say that while this is a meaningful goal, many companies set it up as their destination FAR too early. This one is really about locking down the path you are going to take to get to a defined destination, but locking down a path to somewhere that requires you to "go the long way", doesn't make all that much sense; just to say you locked it down.

Why do people go there? Because "spinning wheels" cost time and money. But there is a difference between spinning wheels and building your blueprint💡

And how can authenticity get you there? By doing exactly that. By helping you create YOUR blueprint so you FEEL that it's yours. Which means, you'll be effectively cutting out wasteful tactics that don’t align, are can become more focused, streamlined, and impactful. If you get caught up in operationalizing someone ELSE's way, none of those results actually become available to you.

Destination = Insight-Driven Decision-Making

Back to my data-driven marketers; yup, I see you. And while I'm a HUGE believer in making decisions based on good insights, where a lot of marketers get caught up is in the fact that pretty much any piece of data can be interpreted in different ways. And it's ALWAYS influenced by our own filters; other targets, personal biases, etc.

Why do people go there? Because we can only guess for so long, and most of the decisions based on guesses end up being out to lunch.

And how can authenticity get you there? Listening deeply and honestly to what your audience is telling you. Let me say it again for posterity...this is about LISTENING. And when I'm not living in my authenticity, it becomes very easy to find a desire to CONVINCE people that they need what you sell. But in the efforts of convincing, we normally turn OFF our listening. This is about bringing it back; with intention to use what you learn, and not to assume that you know better.

Destination = Scalability

Oh, I see all of you start-ups out there already focused on scalability...another thing we tend to add to the priority list a little too soon. But in the long term, yes this is critically important to the success of your business...but what makes something scalable? Is it the same set of things for all businesses? Or is it perhaps UNIQUE for yours?

Why do people go there? Because people want to keep growing. That's what we've been programmed to believe is "good" and "right". And if we can grow without breaking what works? That's even better.

And how can authenticity get you there? By creating scale based on your foundational brand truths; or your Brand Philosophy as I like to call it. If your marketing is built on what’s real, it can flex across channels, teams, and growth stages without losing coherence. But if it's based on what your competitor would do (or has done)—and it's NOT yours—then it's NEVER going to be scalable. And yes, the person who hates absolutes just said NEVER...what does that tell you?

Destination = Thought Leadership

Oh, there is so much misconception about Thought Leadership. So many people who avoid it like the plague because they don't want to see themselves as the "empty-calorie influencers" they associate it with on the internet. But TRUE influence is based on your ability to influence people IN ALIGNMENT with their goals (otherwise we fall into manipulation and persuasion), and I think most of us can get behind that.

Why do people go there? To be honest, there are a LOT of "shoulds" that come with this one, but one REAL reason is to lead with your perspective or brand, not just your product.

And how can authenticity get you there? By letting your people speak—and act—from the heart. By showing people the soul of your business (which is the people), and tell the truth that no one else is saying. Because when YOUR people finally hear something that allows them to believe that what they thought was viable the entire time? Well then, you get a client for life.

Destination = Internal Alignment

Honestly, this one isn't a focus nearly enough, but I wanted to include it because 1) marketers are uniquely positioned to influence it and 2) it ties in deeply with the concept of Scalability explored above. Marketing commonly acts as a silo, and if it's not connected to the rest of the business, your best case scenario is that you are out in the market making promises that aren't being kept...and eventually, people are going to figure it out.

Why do people go there? Again, I don't actually think most businesses DO go here today, but I think it's pretty common knowledge that a disconnected team kills momentum.

And how can authenticity get you there? By aligning marketing with who the company really is. No fakeness here. When the external brand story matches your internal culture, silos naturally dissolve and shared purpose emerges. And specifically if you're trying to generate some kind of INNOVATION in your marketing efforts, shared purpose—and shared VALUE—are what makes it possible.

Authenticity ISN'T a Destination

It’s the road that leads to all the right ones. Or more importantly...YOUR destination.

Authenticity doesn't decide where you "should" go.

You decide that.

It doesn't even decide how you "should" get there.

You decide that too.

What it DOES do is allow you to lead YOUR way; without CHASING.

Because you didn't start your business to chase what others have already done. You started it to fill the gap in what they WEREN'T doing. How they weren't serving.

So, what if you took ONE of the destinations above—the one that's most important to you— and asked yourself:

What would I do?

Or better yet...

What would WE do?

And if you'd like a sherpa to go on that WE journey with you, let's chat :)