Increase tension with your customer – Nudge the LOVE

I was reading a blog post by the ad agency Redpepperland concerning factors needed to create a beloved brand. In it, the unnamed author astutely suggested that people don’t fall in love with logo’s or brand imagery but do so through the personal dimension.

In the past, I’ve suggested that “loving” a brand, is the same as love in any other relationship.  It can’t be commanded or demanded.  It must be offered to be received and that brands that turn out to be “fads”  were nothing more than infatuations and not sustainable love.

In the redpepperland post, the author rounded-up the “usual suspects” when it comes to ingredients needed to build love between your company and your customers. It was suggested that you build a company that is human, engaging, authentic, and relevant. However, the author then added a huge twist by suggesting beloved brands must also create “tension.”

As I thought about it, I began to equate “tension” with growing and refreshing your customer experience.  It is about retaining much of your beloved experience while gently NUDGING your customers to keep your relationship moving ahead.

You might think of tension as creating the resistance necessary for growth.

With all that said, here are my questions for the day:

In what ways does your service or customer experience gently nudge customers to grow with you?

How are you “lovingly” challenging customers to not become stale?

In essence, how do you make sure the love for your brand does not become bland?