Insights / Branding
Being a brand that has top-of-the-mind awareness in a customer is more than just being flashy or trendy, or even producing quality products. It goes beyond what meets the eye and it boils down to the heart of the brand - how you care for your customers and how you position yourself to be a necessity in their lives.
Let’s put it to the test! Ask yourself what brands are at the top of your mind when it comes to purchasing household goods? How about personal use items or even gifts for others? What brands came to mind and why? Well, it’s probably because these brands practice one or more of the things we’re going to be talking about below in this article!
1. Listen and learn 🤫👂
Hush now. You have communicated all that you wanted to through your ads and social media platforms; now is time to just listen. One of the best ways to find out what your customers think of you is simply to just ask them! Don’t be afraid to ask your customers for their feedback - both good and bad. Take note of their concerns, cares and preferences and filter through the responses to gain insight as to how you can improve your brand as a whole.
You could also go a step further and ask for suggestions on how your service to them could improve, as this would also help you to gauge their expectations. People appreciate it when you show your care for them and it helps build a positive perspective they’ll have of you! Reassure them that you are actively taking their thoughts into consideration and are working on becoming the best version of your brand for their benefit. You can do this through various means like survey forms, or by sending out an inquiry message to your consumers via email or social media.
A great example of this would be the fast-food giant, McDonald’s. In 2018, a petition called “McDonald’s is polluting our oceans” was set up and garnered nearly 500,000 signatures in protest of the brand’s excessive use of plastic straws. McDonald’s quickly sprung into action - announcing that they were switching to paper straws across multiple countries and even set up factories to manufacture them. This turned the tides of protest into praises for the brand’s prompt response to their customers’ concerns.
2. Walk in their shoes 👠
In order to understand your customers better, you must BE the customer - or at least put yourself in their position and think from their perspective! Ask yourself how you want to be spoken to and cared for through your particular brand. It’s crucial to be at eye-level with your customers and to take time and effort to gather firsthand insight as to how your customers are feeling when they walk into your store, use your products and engage with your brand in general!
Once you have a grasp of their sentiments and perception towards your brand, pick out the key points upon which you can make adjustments to provide an even better experience. From the beginning of your service to the after-purchase follow ups, let them know that their well-being is your top priority and your concern. When you keep them on your mind, they will have you at the top of their minds as well.
3. Communicate Consistently 🗣️
Staying in touch is pertinent in forming any relationship, and that applies to your customers as well. Be present, active and responsive on your social media platforms and connect with your customers there, putting in your best efforts to reply to their questions or even to engage with them on friendly terms.
Take Netflix (and the various accounts for their shows) as a brilliant example. Shown above is the Instagram account for the series “Shadow & Bone”, which has a massive following gathered from both the fans of the original book series and the show itself. The admins of the account have cleverly played into the likes and dislikes of the audience, creating content and captions that relate to what they are passionate about. Furthermore, they use a casual tone and manner, which makes the audience feel as though they are interacting with a friend. They do this effectively and frequently, building a strong presence and great audience engagement on their social platforms.
Beyond making your presence known, it is important to remain thoroughly human when communicating to your customers. As much as you want to make a good impression and have customers “buy” into your business, the key is to make them feel as though you value them more than just being another name or number on your consumer list. Loosen up and don’t be afraid to have some fun with them - interact with them like real people! This leads us to our next point…
4. See the people, not the prospects 👦🏼👩🏽🦱
Relationships are built upon authenticity, transparency and trust. As a brand, it might be easy to fall into the trap of viewing customers purely as prospects, and to a certain extent, a means to an end for profit. We need to move past that mindset and begin to see our customers as living, breathing humans with whom we need to build genuine connection.
So, be sincere and remember that you’re speaking to them, not at them. Be down-to-earth and keep your words simple and honest, treating them with respect and intellect!
5. Be a Giver 🎁
Every human being loves to feel loved - that, and extra-mile service and freebies! Go above and beyond in providing them with superb experiences, services or products and if it’s within your means, sprinkle a little more on top of it. You’ll be amazed at how fast word will spread about your brand thanks to your generosity. Customers take notice when there are additional incentives to be gained and you’re most likely to be their go-to referral when you keep your efforts and quality service up to standard. So, think of it as a mutual exchange, just between you and your customers!
6. Talk about something other than yourself! 😉
I understand. You want to keep putting the word about your brand and your awesome products and services out there. But sometimes, it might be a good idea to let your customers breathe and do some off-roading! Don’t be afraid to go off topic at times, so that it doesn’t feel like you’re shoving your brand down their throats.
What are the trends that people are engaging with at this current time? Is there a topic that is particularly important to your customer’s demographic that is being discussed? Then talk about it and make them feel heard! This shows that you are keeping up with the times and that you aren’t lagging behind as a brand. It shows that customers can rely on you for the latest and greatest!
It might seem counterintuitive at first to put a pause on talking about your brand, but you’d be surprised at how it could actually lead to more opportunities for you to connect on a deeper level with your customers!
Overall, I guess it’s safe to say that for your brand to have top-of-the-mind awareness, you first have to make your customers a priority. People put their trust in a brand that is transparent and down-to-earth with who they are and with what they can offer. A brand that genuinely cares and values them is one that will be greatly remembered and loved!
