Agile is often used to describe a more efficient way to do software development and project management. But can brands be agile in their marketing too? Find out at AMA Madison’s 2021 Virtual Annual Conference: Power of Community on Sept. 30, featuring Greg Kihlstrom, author of The Agile Brand, as he presents on “The Agile Brand: Creating authentic relationships between companies and their customers.”
Greg will share:
- How brands that embrace consumer feedback and create a “living” brand that evolves over time while staying true to its values.
- How successful brands adapt their marketing and customer experience to reach the modern device-agnostic consumer effectively
- What to do (and what not to do) when adapting to a changing consumer landscape
- How to balance the need for a brand to stay true to its mission and values while adapting and remaining nimble to changing trends and consumer behaviors
We sat down with Greg for a Q&A to share his thoughts on how agile principles can apply to marketing:
What do you expect the audience to take away from The Agile Brand presentation?
There is a lot of talk about rapid change in the marketing industry, as well as how customer experience is becoming a greater point of competitive advantage. Audiences of this session will take away a real, tangible understanding of the relationship between branding and customer experience, and the role of marketers in this brand-consumer relationship.
What is holding companies back from being agile?
Lack of time and focus, as well a focus on short-term results causes companies to forgo building long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with their customers. You would be hard pressed to find a company that doesn’t say they love their customers, but when it comes time to treat them well over sacrificing short-term profits, it proves more difficult. This is why the companies that put customers first are so notable and there are such few truly great examples.
What will companies gain from creating authentic relationships?
Companies will gain more valuable customers who buy more, buy more often, and refer others. They will also gain when they adopt a customer-centric culture that employees also find valuable. These employees will see their place in the important relationship between brands and customers and find more value and meaning in their work.
If you were not engaged in your current career, what would you be doing instead?
While I love my current career, if I wasn’t doing what I do now, I would probably be trying to make it as a musician. I took 12 years of classical piano lessons and almost became a music major instead of my current trajectory. I also enjoy painting and drawing in my spare time. I find that anywhere outdoors that I can get away from the bustle of cities, cars, and crowds provides great relaxation and recharges my creative energies.
Don’t miss Greg and other marketing thought leaders at our 2021 Annual Conference. Register Now!
About Greg Kihlstrom
Greg is a best selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur. He is an entrepreneur, author and speaker, after selling his award-winning digital experience agency. He has worked with some of the world’s top brands, including Coca-Cola, Dell, FedEx, GEICO, Marriott, MTV, Starbucks, Toyota and VMware. He serves on the University of Richmond’s Customer Experience Advisory Board, and was founding Chair of the American Advertising Federation’s National Innovation Committee. Greg has written seven books, including, The Center of Experience (2020) which talks about how customer and employee experience can be operationalized into a cohesive brand experience. His podcast, The Agile World, launched in early 2019 and now in season 3, discusses brand strategy, marketing, customer, and employee experience with thought leaders from leading organizations around the world. He is a contributing writer to Forbes, and has been featured in Advertising Age, Communication Arts, and The Washington Post.