Every day we make millions of micro-decisions, but most of them are complete sh*t.
People form impressions of a person in about 50-70 milliseconds. So while you’re trying so very damn hard not to seem weird, people already think you are. Or not.
It’s the same way for brands.
Why?
Because a few moments ago, you decided to read this instead of doing something else. You decided to read up to this point because I made a micro-decision to pull you in. A decision about what particular set of words to use.
How is this related?
Because brands work in the same way. I make a decision. You make a decision. If my decision was right and well executed, you’ll go in the intended direction. Or not.
Like a game of chess.
And yes, the decisions most people make for their brand are complete sh*t.
Put yourself in this scenario
You’re in a thick, dense forest, can’t even see the sky, with no map.
Most likely, you won’t know where to go and would not take the path that seems less traveled. Logical decision, which is also driven by fear of the unknown. You would have made a micro-decision based on your experience/other’s experience.
The point, my dear reader, is that emotions determine the choice when facts are lacking. And most times, even when they are, we dismiss them. Hence why I say, most of our decisions are sh*t.
The paradox
I like familiar things, especially comfortable and exciting things. A whole bunch of people like them, including the people you want to sell to.
But right now, they’ve no idea how exciting your offer is, or in better brand terms, how valuable your offer is. Because you decided to speak, not to guide them into seeing the value you offer.
Now imagine a friend, a trusted friend, who recommends something to you. It just so happens you admire this friend’s taste on the recommendation. You’ll be able to see the value of that thing they recommended because you trust their judgement.
A well-known product name or a friend’s recommendation can become a mental shortcut. These mental shortcuts are what create brands. A brand is created in the mind where a group of people share similar gut feelings about something.
The whole thing about “branding” is in our own psychology. We want certainty, so we build the things that help us tell the stories that in turn help us sell that certainty we so seek.
Frequently asked questions
Why do people make so many bad brand decisions? Humans make millions of micro-decisions under impression time pressure and incomplete facts. Emotions often determine choice when facts are lacking, so brand choices frequently reduce to weak shortcuts.
How do brands work as mental shortcuts? A well-known name or a trusted recommendation becomes a mental skip button. Brands form when a group of people share similar gut feelings about something and use that certainty to choose faster.
What psychology sits underneath branding? We want certainty, so we build stories and signals that help us sell that certainty. Brands guide decisions the way a trusted friend recommendation makes value easier to see.