Millennials “expect brands to live in the same world they live in, speak the same language about the same issues they care about, be humorous, or strike an emotional chord,” according to the Harvard Business Review.
Consumers are increasingly pressurizing brands for value exchange and a real emotional connection instead of merely being marketed to.
So, then what is a value exchange? Let’s start out by saying what it’s not in our view.
It’s not creating a half baked buyers persona based on a whole lot of guesswork, using some templates and other people’s sequences to build a sales funnel, and giving some badly put together e-book as a free giveaway.
Well, then what is it? It’s the process of swapping rich data for better experiences between brands and their customers and can take place in many forms.
The emphasis is on continuous and relevant. The exchange occurs because the audience trusts the brand enough to identify themselves with it and grant permission for the engagement.
Enter game-changer Zero Party Data.
“Zero-party data is that which a customer intentionally and proactively shares with a brand. It can include purchase intentions, personal context and how the individual wants the brand to recognize her.” —Fatemeh Khatibloo, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester
