How do you build a great brand in 2016? Is it all about that fancy tag line? Is it all about huge TV media buys? Is it all about maximum retargeting impressions? While all of the above help tremendously (especially Retargeting), I’m here to argue that the core of any great brand in 2016 is your customer care (which is your customer experience).

The Internet has truly transformed the way we buy products and services. What’s the first thing we do before buying anything? We go straight to the reviews on Amazon, Yelp, Trustpilot, ResellerRatings, and other review sites. We absorb the thoughts and opinions of our peers. Why trust marketing collateral from big corporations when we can go straight to the end users, people like us?

Here’s where things get interesting… What do people review? A tremendous portion of the time people review their experiences (both good and bad) with a brand. How does an experience with a brand manifest? It really boils down to the consumer’s experience with that brand’s customer care team, the face of the brand. Hence, the title of this blog post: Your customer care is your brand.

Marketing in 2016 is more interdisciplinary than ever. The best marketers are spending a huge amount of their time collaborating with their customer care teams. Without customer care, your marketing will get left behind.

All of this leads me to my latest guest blog post on the incomparable 3Q Digital blog: Growth Marketing Tips Through Your Customer Care Team. In my guest post, I highlight exactly how you can elevate your brand and marketing results through direct collaboration with your sales and support agents. My post offers practical and actionable tips.

Want a micro example of what I’m talking about and how such a strategy could integrate directly with a powerful channel like Retargeting (also known as Remarketing)? Check out the screenshot below, featuring one of my own retargeting banners on one of my favorite YouTube rap songs. Since PPC Ian is a one-person operation, I am the customer care. Customer care has manifested itself as the purpose of my brand and is injected into my marketing collateral. I realize this is a really small example, but I just had to share because I love rap music and thought it was a fun example.

It’s time: Reach out to your customer care team immediately and start collaborating. And, don’t forget to check out my Growth Marketing Tips Through Your Customer Care Team.