Readily accessible information has developed an educated and savvy consumer base: potential clients and customers know exactly when they are being marketed to. Therefore, it is the responsibility of marketers to develop a strong brand experience or risk losing customer loyalty.
In order to create this strong brand experience, companies should develop holistic programs that are authentic and consistent, and empower their teams to advocate for the brand.
Authenticity
A brand is the sum total of all the interactions, both conscious and subconscious, a client or consumer has with a company. Therefore, the company’s brand should be an authentic manifestation of the company values, culture, services, etc.
Think about it this way – simply put, your brand is the way your audience perceives your company. You want to make sure your brand is an accurate (and positive) representation.
Have a look at this list of the world’s most recognized brands. They’ve all created a brand identity that speaks not only to the services or products they provide, but to a spectrum of other intangible characteristics (e.g. innovation, excitement, friendship, etc.) they espouse.
Consistency
The most powerful brands align their clients’ many individual interactions around a singular brand idea – from messaging and tone, to products and services, to touchpoints and personal interactions, to company culture and operations.
Take, for example, the media and entertainment empire Disney. As one of the most valuable brands in the world, this juggernaut has developed an identity that is consistent throughout its movies, theme parks, resorts and other ventures.
Empowerment
It takes a strong corporate culture to deliver a consistent brand experience, which starts at the top and is internalized throughout the organization. Once the brand is embraced and woven into the fabric of a company, the entire team can and should be considered ambassadors of that brand.
When team members understand the brand and how it applies to their area of responsibility they will connect with customers and clients in more meaningful ways.
One company that has done a great job leveraging this practice is the fast-fashion retailer ASOS. Once the company’s stylists posted photos of their daily outfits on Instagram, their accounts quickly grew to turn ASOS, and the stylists themselves, into full-fledged tastemakers.
Empowering employees to bring the brand to life in their own ways can help elevate a company from relative obscurity to widespread recognition.
Cooksey Staff
