Building a Brand to Stand the Test of Time
When dealing with the subject of developing a brand, several organisations set their sights on attention, opposed to retention. 64% of people state that a shared sense of value is the main reason to stay loyal to a brand. Additionally, 48% of the same customers stated that a positive first experience with a business can earn their loyalty.
Branding can serve as an unbelievable asset for buyer retention.
So, what are the key elements of building a brand that nurtures customer loyalty?
Find Your Values
A powerful brand generates repeat custom and returning customers reinforce your brand. This continuous cycle is key to the success of your business, and it all begins with your buyer’s first experience.
Ask yourself what you believe in as an organisation and how can you transmit that to your buyers? Observe some of the most established brands out there. Is it easy for customers to understand what they represent?
Take FedEx customers, they know the business fulfils their promises and that they are efficient and productive. Likewise, everybody knows that Nike is all about motivating athletes to push themselves. The organisation’s ground-breaking approach to creating products for elite athletes makes it a universally trusted brand.
Decide what you wish your brand to be known for, and then build that into every element of your branding.
Be Authentic
Recognise that loyalty starts right off the bat, and your company’s success relies on your customers. However, optimism alone will not sustain a company, you will also need an authentic product or service to go along with those values too.
A prime example of this can be seen with Levi. The durability of Levi is a lesson for all entrepreneurs. Inherently, the company never cuts corners on the quality. The rivets that Levi use in their jeans has turned into an industry standard.
This durability and quality have earnt them 162 years of success in the market. Additionally, the business does not deviate from its core product, opposed to jumping on the band wagon with every fashion trend. Levi is dedicated to its authentic, original product which is good quality denim.
This devotion is what has kept it growing through the decades and will undoubtably continue to set them well above the rest for the foreseeable future.
Craft Your Image
In order to gain a modern audience’s trust, it is essential to have an external image that displays your core beliefs. So, you have discovered what you stand for, and you have created an authentic product or service. Now is the moment to convey that in your brand image.
Begin with the logo, create a visual presentation of what you symbolise, then select a colour palette. The correct graphic designer can be the difference between connecting with your target audience or pushing them towards a preferable competitor.
Try to remember that first impressions are essential for capturing and retaining customers.
A graphic designer who is able to make a statement with enticing brand imagery is central to your brand’s success.
Next, you will need to create a tagline or slogan that communicates what you do. Developing the voice of your business takes time and creativity.
Try not to fall into the trap of ordinary and overused marketing nonsense that just fills an area. Try to be brief and to the point, be relevant and be unique.
Research some of the finest taglines and slogans in the industry. They talk to the customer and contemplate the values of the brand simultaneously.
BMW is known for being the “Ultimate Driving Machine” and buyers remain loyal to this brand due to the fact that the company embodies its message.
BMW not only build quality products, but it is also internationally trusted by consumers for being an extraordinary brand. Similar to what people say about American Express. Everybody recognises the “don’t leave home without it” tagline. Observe how these examples are not awash with cliché. They are clear statements that communicate the businesses products and philosophies.
Clear language coupled with quality visuals create a sense of value that invokes customer trust.
Focus On Experience
Supposing you had a house built of bricks and mortar that was inviting and welcoming, that in itself would build loyalty.
A mere “Hi can I be of assistance?” produces a positive buyer experience. However, in the digital market, it is more difficult to create this type of rapport. There is no actual handshake, no face-to-face time to signify that shared sense of value.
Digital trustworthiness requires hard work, and no organisation has accomplished this better than Amazon. We can discover a great deal from Amazon’s commitment to the buyer’s experience.
See below ways they excel:
- Purchase experience – Amazon’s clear product, descriptions and reviews simplifies the purchase process, assisting buyers to make informed choices.
- Free shipping and key benefits keep Amazon ahead of their competitors.
- Super speedy and when you need it.
- Charity – Amazon’s Smile allows for customers to donate with no cost to themselves.
Amazon ensures their customers lives are happier and easier by relating on a personal level and meeting their basic needs.
Listen to Your Customers
If you spend time listening to your customers, you will be able to build a brand that meets their needs. Gathering feedback is an ideal way to develop a business in any niche. Nobody knew this more so than Steve Jobs – the face of Apple.
Several companies conduct reviews and surveys to establish what customers like and dislike. As money is a motivating element in any company, alterations can be made to enhance sales.
Apple took this one step further by using data to predict customer’s future needs, wants and desires.
Apple pride themselves on knowing what the customer wants before they know themselves and guides them through highly intelligent designs.
It is precisely this study of customer behaviour that has built Apple into the powerhouse it is. Acknowledge feedback, build a connection with your customers in order to predict what their needs are.
Connect With Your Community
People relate to companies that care about the community as much as they care about making money. Companies that connect with local groups and develop a reliable following, generate return business.
Starbucks is noted for gathering people together. The brand has developed a long-standing sense of community.
Starbucks offer free Wi-Fi in order to sponsor service products in the area. They are also an ideal example of how money-makers can become a regarded staple in the community. Due to their community commitment, the brand continues to thrive.
If you give to the community, they will return the favour.
Conclusion
Creating your brand is not just about choosing a logo and placing it on a letterhead. There is a huge amount of methodical planning that connects with the deepest foundations of your business’s philosophy and goals.
Developing a brand that functions and lasts, means carrying out some soul searching. This will help you to identify what it is that drives you and how that can drive your clients to buy and continue to buy from you.
By starting with your vision and then placing that vision into your product, you are setting the foundations for success.
A powerful vision and an authentic product or service are just the beginning. Showing your customer your business is the real deal will assist in achieving the fulfilment of that vision.
In order to do this, you will need to create a great customer experience, whether they are simply walking by or shopping online.
Powerful visual appeal and strong community presence go a long way into establishing what your brand stands for.
It is clear that you need to decide what you wish to accomplish, place your heart and soul into it and share it with the world.
Need some help to get started? Drop us a call at 0203 150 0565 or email us info@stefaniegrant.com.