Marketing is often misunderstood as a simple game of getting attention, but there’s much more beneath the surface. In reality, successful marketing rests on three critical pillars: awareness, trust, and tension.
Awareness: Just the Beginning
Many marketers have convinced us that simply getting noticed is the hardest part. “If everyone knew about my project,” we think, “success would be guaranteed.” But awareness alone is merely the first step—and the easiest one.
Trust: The Real Challenge
Trust is far more complex and scarce than mere attention. It’s not something you can achieve by creating a spectacle or generating buzz. Trust is earned through consistent action: showing up repeatedly, keeping promises, and presenting yourself in a way that feels familiar and reliable.
Think of it like this: Anyone can grab attention (try running down the street naked), but would you trust that same person to perform heart surgery? Probably not. Trust is built through reliability, consistency, and integrity.
Tension: The Motivational Force
The third pillar is tension—the uncomfortable but powerful motivator that compels people to act. Tension speaks to our deepest fears: fear of missing out, fear of being left behind, fear of consequences.
Tension is why people make dramatic life changes or take significant risks. It’s the force that moves us from contemplation to action, from passive observation to active participation.
Putting It All Together
Effective marketing isn’t about shouting the loudest or creating the most viral content. It’s about crafting a narrative that simultaneously:
- Captures attention
- Builds genuine trust
- Creates meaningful tension
The goal is to tell your story in a way that truly resonates—a way that makes people lean in, listen, and ultimately, take action.