By definition, gravity is the force by which a planet or other body draws objects toward its centre. Objects with greater mass exert more pull, and the strength of the force increases exponentially as objects move closer together.
Even though gravity is invisible, it is a real force that we can feel every second. And using this universal law as a tool, companies can set more effective marketing strategies.
In business theory, a “gravitation pull” metaphor refers to a brand that communicates, acts, and creates experiences in such a way that customers feel deeply connected with its values, mission and vision. Once a strong bond between people and a brand is established, a “gravitation pull” occurs. This leads to deeper loyalty, higher engagement, and market awareness.
Gravity has four main attributes that are applicable to the marketing strategy in our digital era too:
Attraction. As you may notice, businesses are switching from push to pull models. Instead of chasing customers and pushing resources to satisfy expected demand, companies create valuable offers so that people choose their products above competitors, as they have more worth. For example, Nike supplies their followers with company updates and motivational articles. In addition, the brand launched several apps, such as Nike Soccer, Nike SB, Nike+ Running, Nike+ Training Club, and many more. Altogether, these techniques allow consumers to explore Nike further and find out more information about them.
Distance. In our diverse yet interconnected world, there’s a great chance of events happening beyond our reach, such as public insurgencies against Shein for their “unethical production”. Brands realize more and more that focusing only on their niche issues limits brand effectiveness. The actual influence comes from catalyzing trends and philosophies in the broader culture.
Ubiquity. Social media, globalization, and the speedy flow of information made it impossible to control everything about products. Therefore, companies should get used to being seen everywhere by everyone and work on their brand positioning according to this immediate accessibility.
Exponential growth. Skyrocketing development is very common for startups and disruptive business models. In contrast, conventional strategies are more mechanical and, thus, incremental. The gravity approach allows to craft an exponential strategy for different businesses: as an object(customer) comes closer, the gravitational effect (loyalty, interest, and advocacy) grows exponentially.
Here is what can help you to compete with gravity, pull people into your orbit, and increase the mass impact of your brand:
Treating your stakeholders as co-creators: nothing is more bonding than a shared purpose created with your audience, not just for them as consumers.
Embedding transactions in relationships: with a wide range of unique experiences, you attract more people and accompany them throughout their daily life, like Amazon that offers numerous services: from grocery delivery to AI assistance and media streaming.
Developing your stakeholders’ networks: customers are like satellites around your brand as the main planet. By helping them boost their own gravity, you attract others into your orbit.
You can also ask yourself these questions to audit your current strategy:
What’s prevailing in my narrative: products or purpose?
Do I create any value for people beyond the products/services I offer? What’s the ratio of interactions that are not sales-related?
Are there any interactions about my brand that happen without my direct involvement and control? Do I support them?
Applying gravity principles to your marketing strategy can shorten the distance between you and your stakeholders, increase your attraction force, and strengthen your position in the business galaxy. Good luck!