When business leaders consider brand building, they often think of traditional promotion, like print and digital advertising, or maybe a well-placed radio commercial to attract their target audience. They spend massive amounts of ad dollars to build brand awareness. But for most private businesses, brand building isn't about throwing more money at advertising. It's about creating an organization that engages, delivers on promise, and perhaps most of all, provides exceptional customer experience.

According to a recent PwC Future of Customer Experience Survey, 65% of customers say a positive experience with a brand is more influential to them than great advertising. This is not to say there isn't a place for advertising. But an engaging customer experience can be profoundly more impactful.

There are notably some massively successful brands that simply don't advertise. In the B2B sector, have you ever seen an ad for McKinsey Consulting? Or consider Trader Joe's, a grocery store chain with more than 600 locations and an incredibly loyal customer base. They don't spend a dime on traditional advertising. Or think back to TGI Fridays in its heyday. Customers flocked to the casual dining hotspots, attracted by charming décor, a crowd-pleasing menu and its signature flair bartending that almost defined the era. While revenue was in the billions, TGI Friday's focused on experience, not ad dollars, to create loyalty and buzz around the brand.

Zappos is

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