From this point, on his knees, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the most beautiful engagement ring that could pay off the student loans of most college grads. After she clearly said, YES! Cade pulled away the towel that was sitting on the swing to reveal this inscription: 

When my girlfriend showed me this picture, I couldnt help but be snarky, Love is a Verb did that come from The Notebook, Sex in the City or Pinterest?? After I was able to get out my clever remarks I actually began thinking about this.

My mind went back to the Inbound 2014 conference I had just attended. Hiding in the notes for a lecture I attended called The Future of Storytelling there it was, Brand is a verb.

Brand is not something that you can write down in a business plan, set it and forget it or hire an expensive consulting agency to create for you. It is what people think of you and more importantly how you make people feel. A brand is made not in marketing or advertising, but rather, it is developed in every single interaction between a company and its customers.

It is the quick response on Twitter, the sticker in their order or the customer service line that goes to a human that makes a brand. Just like love, a brand is all about the feelings you get with it. Good brands love their customers, not just love their money but actively love their customers. 

This is why a brand, like love, is a verb. You cant just say you love someone – you must show it. Building a brand is no different than building relationships, they take time, energy and sacrifice. If you build these relationships by delighting customers, your brand will grow. Customer loyalty will skyrocket and your army of brand ambassadors will assemble themselves to help conquer your competitors and defend your honor.

These relationships can and should last a lifetime, so be like Cade find your customers and push them on the swing, wash their feet and ask them Will You Marry Me?