Not always, but often.

Many studies have demonstrated it. The latest one, a research by Bain & Company, highlighted that people who have a conversation with a brand over social media spend 20% to 40% more money the brand than other customers.

What's really surprising is that someone is still surprised about it. People buy something because they like it, remember it and recall it. They talk about it for the same reasons. When brands have a remarkable relationship with people, even when it's not about a product, they generate a bond, an emotional relationship that goes beyond communication.

It's no surprise that such a relationship stimulates people to get in touch with products and to purchase. But that's not all. The most amazing thing is that when brands set up an effective conversation and a remarkable storytelling, people are willing to talk about it with their friends and to involve them directly. Purchase becomes just an intermediate step towards a much more interesting development: advocacy.

Think about it next time you set your strategic objectives.

The concept of loyalty has always been an important pillar of marketing, being probably older than marketing itself: it looks like the first form of loyalty program was implemented by a US merchant who gave to his customers copper tokens that could be exchanged for goods in his store.

It's very interesting to see brands that have the strength, passion and appeal to actively involve people in a relationship. They do it through outreach activities and by stimulating people's interest.

It fascinates even more to follow brands that are able to draw attention and engagement to a level that people are spontaneously willing to be involved. In these cases, people find strategies and implement real tactics to be noticed and involved by brands.

Take a look at this interesting post by Juli Ziv about how bloggers can get in touch with brands to get access to an exclusive experience such as the fashion week.

What do fashion brands have in common? How can they sparkle this level of involvement? How can this apply to your brand?

A fundamental step is differentiating a "flat", non-creative approach that can activate a generic conversation (let's call it "buzz") and a deep, personalized, creative and direct approach that can generate a real commitment in a brand's community. Only one of these generates real, long term, unconditioned involvement.