Why do we choose one brand over another? Brand loyalty is
not a mental act, but an emotional one, and brand loyal customers have
an emotional relationship with the brands they're faithful to. And like
Woody Allen explained in Annie Hall, "A relationship, I think, is like a
shark. It has to constantly move forward or it dies."
The challenge for many brands is how to spark that
emotional relationship and then keep it going. How does a brand get that
first date and turn it into a long, happy marriage? Here are eight
steps to creating a successful brand-consumer relationship online.
Determine your type. In today's social
media age, almost everyone has a digital profile. And as a business
trying to connect with a certain type of customer, you need to create a
comprehensive profile of exactly who that person is. You need to be as
detailed as possible and know your type inside and out -- what they eat
for breakfast, the kind of books they read, whether they prefer
kickboxing or yoga and how they spend their discretionary income. The
more detailed your profile, the greater the number of candidates your
product or message could resonate with.
Tell everyone you're looking. If you were
looking for a golf buddy, a gym partner or even a mate, part of your
strategy would be to tell everyone you know that you were looking. It's
no different when it comes to business. You want to align yourself with
people and companies that can get you in front of your type, that ideal
consumer you created a profile of. These people and companies are
influencers who have a direct connection to your type and already have
their attention and trust.
Find a way to work with and partner with these established
influencers. Make them your "passionate champions" -- people and
businesses who feel like they have a vested interest in your success. Do
this by figuring out how to create a win-win with these influencers.
Look the part. Know what your type is
attracted to and make sure you look like what they want. To do this you
have to know what kind of social environments your type prefers (e.g.
Facebook or Twitter) and what kind of ways they consume their media
(e.g. tablet, mobile or desktop). Your online environment has to
generate interest and excitement and speak their language.
Look into their eyes. Everyone wants to
feel like they're one of a kind. Your customer wants to know that you
get them, that you understand exactly where they're coming from and what
they're thinking. Create a two-way conversation that allows you to get a
more in-depth understanding of where they are and where they want to
be. Give them a voice and let them know you're listening.
Deliver value. Make sure your brand speaks
to your type about what matters to them. Your customer wants to see how
you can enhance their life, because if you can't, there's no reason for
them to be a repeat customer. Show them that your product or service
has value, and they will be more likely to move forward.
Ask for commitment. If the brand-consumer
relationship was one between two individuals, this would be where you
would "put a ring on it!" But before you can "close" or finalize the
relationship, you have to know what you want your customer to do. It
could be to share your message, give you their contact information or
make a purchase. Whatever it takes, don't let them walk away without
telling them exactly what you need them to do, and then get confirmation
that they've done it.
Keep the spark alive. Ask anyone in a
successful relationship and they'll tell you that the courtship can
never end. Re-imagine your key message regularly and create targeted
campaigns that will attract new customers as well as re-engage your
"passionate champions." Re-energize your message on a regular basis and
continue to drive home the importance and relevance of your brand.
Gauge your performance. The only way to
know if a relationship is working is to assess or evaluate results.
Likewise, in business, you need to measure anything that relates to
achieving your goals -- traffic, engagement, conversions, etc. Metrics
help you take stock of how you're doing and help you get to where you
want to be.
