At a recent meeting with a potential client, they made a simple yet profound statement--"Perception is Reality." This statement has always been true, but has never been more valid that it is our self-serve consumer-driven world. Today's consumers don't wait for brands to come to them with messages and offerings about their products and/or services. Today's consumers are seeking out this information themselves, becoming aware of, familiarizing themselves with and validating their decisions for brands, all on their own time and own terms. What this evovlving consumer journey means is that whatever the customer sees about your brand--whether it's from an online review by a stranger, a product in their Pinterest newsfeed, or direclty from your website--that is what they know to be true. And if that thing they see represents your brand in a negative, confusing or misguided light, well, that's what they take as reality.

"But that's unfair!" you might be saying. "You don't know the full story!" you cry! Of course. We agree and we believe you. But it doesn't matter what you or I think or believe to be true. It's what the customer and the population at large believes that becomes truth.

So how can you impart the right perception? The concept is simple--know your audience and where you can reach them. Then create a strategy for delivering the most impactful and helpful message on the right channels. While the execution of that concept is much more involved and complex, if you base your brand narrative, platform and channel strategies around the reality of perception, you can help to guide that perception to the reality you desire.