November 16, 2015 | less than a minute read

Being 'Authentic': a loathsome phrase but wonderful for Professional Services

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Tom Elgar

Co-founder

Get in touch

Tom Elgar

Co-founder

The expression might revolt, but there is strong evidence that 'brand authenticity' is an exceptionally strong selling point (see below). Fortunately, for Professional Services, and knowledge businesses in general, authenticity is actually pretty straight-forward. They are people businesses and, for people, being authentic is just being yourself.

Online this means posting your own content, with your views and having your name against it. It appears authentic because it is authentic.

In 2013 the Boston Consulting Group surveyed 2,500 American consumers and found that being authentic was indeed one of the main qualities they said would attract them to a brand. For younger “millennial” consumers (born between 1980 and 2000), it was second in importance only to rewarding their loyalty with discounts. Authenticity is being peddled as a cure for consumers’ ebbing loyalty to brands.