surround sound marketing

In a home theater system, you have various types of speakers ranging from tweeters, bass, mids, receiver, horns, and bookshelf speakers.  Collectively, they form a surround sound "system."

Although you have all of these pieces, you achieve the best sound quality when each of the individual components is from the same manufacturer.  You know this and that adds to your perception of quality.  You could very well have totally different speakers, but the consistency in the brand adds to the perception of a better sound.

In addition, all these 24 pieces make one sound when executed.  They come together and form a sort of harmonic convergence.

Turning on this system has an interesting affect on what you see.  Suddenly, you no longer see the tweeter, the bass, and the bookshelf speakers.  They become transparent to the sound.  The moment you reach that state where the parts begin to form a whole, you've converted.  You have reached a point of total engagement.  This point of engagement with a brand that comes after being fully enveloped in an experience with that brand is what Jared Spool calls a "seducible moment."  You never know when it’s going to happen.  And because you never know when it’s going to happen and which of your touch points will cause it to happen, you need to equip all of your touch points with the ability to convert.  Just as with a surround sound system, you never know which of the components will disappear last and cause the individual parts to form a whole.

This is surround sound marketing, marketing that envelops the prospect with such goodness that they no longer see the email; they no longer see the print ad, or the audio clip.  All they are left with is a powerful "something" that pulls them toward your brand.  The brand is the only thing that remains after the experience.  You don’t describe your experience in terms of the individual components.  You say that you have Sony system, or a Kenwood system.  In the end, the feelings brought on by the system fades when the sound is turned off.  However, the experience positive attitudes and affinity becomes anchored to the brand.  That's what they will retain.  This surround sound enveloping of the prospect or user is how brands are built and sustained in the digital age.

People don't walk around saying, "oh you have the 4ohm 24 speaker system that plays great highs."  No, you say, "Kenwoods are good radios.  My cousin has a Kenwood."  Or, you might say "JVC sucks. " They don't remember what message was coming out of the system, but they do remember the collective residue of the listening experience, which was either a positive or negative brand interaction.  The positive experience builds the brand.  The negative experience erodes it.