How to Balance Authenticity and Marketing When Growing Your Brand

All companies must ultimately make sales if they want to stay in business. And to sell, you need to work on marketing — or introduce your brand and products to potential clients and detail the reasons why they should hand over their hard-earned money to you.

But while increasing sales is one of the main goals of good marketing, some efforts can sometimes be too “commercial,” turning off customers with overly pushy and pushy language and messaging. Today’s consumers crave more transparency from brands, so marketers must work to balance their sales with their brand’s authentic voice.

Drawing on their own experiences as business leaders, members Rolling Stone Culture Council Below, explore how brands can balance authenticity and marketing when developing their unique brand story and why it’s so important.

Focus on what makes you unique

Be genuine, but focus on what you are doing differently and better. It’s not always easy to come up with your “other, better” aspect, but it’s a great equalizer. Saying you are the best is not a value proposition. The explanation of your unique value is compelling. Communicate this message in a tone that resonates with your audience. – Michael Newman, Small Projects Bureau

Share real stories and experiences

Build your brand story based on real-life experiences. Authentic stories from founders or customers create emotional connections and trust. In a crowded marketplace, especially the cannabis market, authenticity sets you apart and turns consumers into loyal advocates. – Red Rodriguez, Iconoclast Agency

Focus on “Why”

Why are you selling this product or service? Focus your marketing on the “why” and the authenticity that today’s consumers crave will emerge. – Sam Seideman, Innovo Management

Reflect your company’s spirit all year long

Target your marketing initiatives to your real audiences all year long. Consumers can see right through inauthentic marketing. To be authentic, you must reflect the spirit of your company in everything you do. Show up and commit to your community year-round, not just during holidays or special months. – Lindsay Bartlett, Fast friends

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Stay true to your mission

It’s important to stay grounded and remember why you started. Your mission is more than just a slogan. This is the guiding principle of your business. If you truly believe it, let it shape your marketing strategy and decisions. By staying true to your mission, you will not only create a more authentic brand, but you will also create a deeper connection with your customers. – Jason Peterson, GoDigital Media Group

Be honest in your business

Balancing authenticity and marketing when developing a brand story is critical, as consumers can quickly detect inauthenticity. Being honest about your business and why marketing is changing or why you’re marketing for growth will help consumers understand and maintain their trust, while also providing an opportunity to remind them of your core values ​​and that they won’t go away. – Matthew Forster, CMS Nashville

Do what you promise

Authentic marketing is the key to brand loyalty. When investing in a company’s products or services, consumers act under the assumption that their needs will be met as advertised. To build trust, companies need to accurately present their offerings and deliver on their promises. – Dustin Eide, CanPay

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Stay consistent across all touchpoints

Brands must focus on aligning their core values ​​with their message, ensuring that what they convey reflects their true identity. One piece of advice I would give is to be consistent across all touchpoints. Why? Because consumers are quick to notice discrepancies between what a brand says and how it behaves or presents itself. Do not dilute the final product. Be brave. Make them remember you. – Josiah Corbin, Luxury multimedia products

Let your brand have a sense of humor

People who are confident are usually modest and able to laugh at themselves. This is true for brands too. A trusted brand clearly knows what it offers, but doesn’t take itself too seriously. What would it mean if your brand had a sense of humor? Remember that the best doctors can cure your disease. And have excellent bedside manners. – Jed Brewer, Good Loud Media

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Treat Marketing Like a Sublime Resume

Brand marketing is like an elevated resume—a part of you that is real, but refined in an accessible way. More importantly, it’s not just proof of your experience; it’s a deep dive into the history of why you reach out to others and what you offer at the appropriate levels. Be sure to answer questions about how you help and what new services you provide to improve someone’s experience. – Cynthia Johnson, Bell + Ivy

Listen to your intuition

There are no hard and fast rules, but customers and clients can usually tell if a company is trying too hard to suck up to them. At some point, you also need to show what you believe in, despite what clients may want. It’s a balance, only you can decide how to play. Use your gut feeling. – Zain Jaffer, Zain Jaffer Foundation