Using Authenticity to Win Over Potential Clients

“People increasingly see the world in terms of ‘real’ and ‘fake,’ and want to buy something real from someone genuine, not a fake from a phony. Now more than ever, the authentic is what consumers really want.”

That’s the premise of a new book, Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want by James H. Gilmore and B. Joseph Pine II, who assert that “authenticity is the new quality.”

The book defines what authenticity means today, explains why it’s important and offers suggestions on how you can manage the perceptions of “real” or “fake” that may surround your firm.

“When consumers want what’s real, the management of the customer perception of authenticity becomes the primary new source of competitive advantage – the new business imperative,” they write.

Defining ‘Real’

Why do we need a book defining real and fake? Doesn’t everyone know the difference?

If consumers want real, does that mean we can only sell granite or marble, never solid surface, quartz or laminate? What is real wood? Solid wood? A veneer? What is a real Art Deco sink? An antique from the 1920s? Or an accurate reproduction?

If authentic is so important, why do some women happily and knowingly buy imitation Prada handbags for $30 on Canal Street in New York City? Why do they buy tile that looks like wood or stone?

Clearly, there is no absolute definition of real or fake. Rather, the authors say, the perception flows directly from the customer’s self image. They warn, “It takes concerted effort not to let one’s own personal view intrude when making a professional assessment of authenticity in business.”

Research shows that consumers cycle through certain life stages when authenticity matters most. Every 20 years or so, people redefine their identities and what is authentic. They get rid of things that are no longer “them” and select ones that reflect their new identity.

According to Margaret King and Jamie O’Boyle of the Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis, two of these life stages are Evaluation, which happens from ages 35-40, and Reevaluation, which happens between 55-60.

This means 30 to 40 million people are in the Evaluation or Reevaluation phase every year in the U.S. The baby boomers are now in the key phases of reforming their identities, and focusing on authenticity.

To be viewed as authentic, you must first understand your customers and their perceptions of authenticity. In fact Gilmore and Pine say, “Part of …providing [a] service is helping customers discover what they want…and in some way, who they want to be.” Will their new kitchen transform them into a better cook? A more engaging socialite? A healthier person?

The authors talk about a hospitality chain that takes the “pick-a-magazine” approach to figuring out what is authentic to its customers. This is because magazines (and cable TV shows) appeal to “affinity groups” that often share the same self-image. What magazines and TV shows do your customers prefer? Southern Living? Western Interiors? Midwest Living? Then they identify closely with their region. Metropolitan Home? Dwell? Country Living? Then they identify closely with a style.

Once you understand your customer, you can then “render” yourself authentic by managing the perception of your business.
Don’t, however, claim to be authentic. That comes off as fake. “You can’t market yourself as authentic, you can only market… the symbols of authenticity,” the authors advise.

One major symbol of authenticity is easy access to a human being. If you have voice mail, make it easy to get a real person by hitting zero. Don’t put someone through cumbersome spellings of last names with special instructions on what to do with q and x.

On your Web site, have your phone and address clearly visible. Don’t hide behind a contact page that takes 25 clicks to find and then instructs users to send an e-mail to an anonymous “information @…” Include pictures of staff members.