Branding: Creating Powerful Connections
Connecting with your customers is the key to create the strongest brand
The goal of Branding is to create powerful connections but most of the brands do not know-how. Creating this connection is not easy but is possible.
I like to share with my clients my Brand process to create powerful relationships and long term connections.
The process consist in 5 important steps: Values, Communication, Marketing, Experiences and Trust.
1. Defining Values: Transparency is the key
Values will define your brand. People want to know not only what you do but what your brand truly values and believes in.
Successful brands carefully select their values sharing them in and outside the organization.
How to find your values?
1. Discovering your purpose: How your brand can help to change the world.
2. Listening to your customers: Their feedback is your most important asset.
3. Consistency: Do what you say. Your purpose will remain the same over time.
2. Communication: Your brand is your media
Let people know who you are and what you are doing. Once you defined your values, brand communication plays a crucial role in building a powerful connection with your audience.
A good brand communications plan is a very important part of any branding effort. That is the reason why you can’t expect your content being shared for others, you need to transform your brand into the media.
How can you transform your brand into the media?
Identify your Audience: How your brand can help to change the world.
Identify your channels: Their feedback is your most important asset.
Be Authentic: Show Your Personality
Quality Over Quantity: better targeted, more personalized and highly creative messaging.
3. Marketing: thinking strategically
Let's start with this: Marketing is not Branding
Marketing is essential for your brand strategy. Marketing is the “HOW” you will communicate your values.
The way you market your business determines if the brand will be successful or not. With a good marketing strategy, your brand will be able to create an effective engagement, building amazing relationships with your customers.
4. Experiences: Generating memories and emotions
Experiences (digital or live) are the knowledge that is acquired through lived moments helping us to generate memories and emotions.
To create a successful brand experience is important to listen to your customers. They need to feel they are important for you and you care about them. When your customer is living the experience they need to feel that they are the center, they are the most important. at that moment, they will remember forever that experience creating the connection you are looking for.
Why is a good brand experience so important?
Brand recognition: Your image will be powerful
Trust: People will trust in your brand generating Loyalty
Word of mouth: People will talk and share about your brand in a positive way.
5. Trust: Engaging with mind and heart
Trust is a key factor in the journey to connect with your audience. You can’t ask for trust, you need to earn it.
3 key factors to earn trust:
Fulfill your promises: Do what you say you will do.
Make your brand personal: Humanize your brand
Availability: 24/7
Finally, your brand will be creating rational and emotional connections.
Enjoy and start to create powerful connections with your customers!
By Luis Fernando Vergara Arrieta
Founder & CEO Branders Magazine | Brand Strategist | Marketing and Communication Specialist.