The Customer-Brand Relationship: Tips for making it work
There has never been a better or more opportunistic time to get your brand name out there thanks to the plethora of channels, both on and offline, to reach the masses and those who matter to your message.
The question is though, how do you get people to fall in love with your brand? Emotional attachment is the key word; rather than a mental act, a relationship with a brand is built on loyalty, faith and trust in not just the product they are selling, but what it stands for and represents.
Like any relationship, it starts with setting that spark alight in the first place, capturing the customers’ unanticipated attention and making them react and respond positively to the brand and message. Following that, keeping the romance going and turning the customer-brand relationship into a long and happy marriage is the next challenge for marketers.
On behalf of The Media Octopus, here we explore how best to go about achieving this idealistic connection in the world of Social Media:
Establish you profile on the social media platforms to attract the right people.
Having a comprehensive and established online profile is a fundamental element when striving to connect with your intended audience. Be as detailed as possible with information provided on your social profiles, from location and aims of the business, to contact links and who works for the company. Make sure this is consistent across your online presence to ensure wherever people are looking for you, the same message is enforced. The more in-depth your profile is, the greater the chances are of your ideal customers relating to and resonating with your brand.
Are you looking and sounding good?
Let’s be honest, we’re all vain in varying levels, so aesthetics play a key part in the instant attraction scenario. Part of knowing your ideal audience is understanding what makes them tick, what kind of social environments they spend most of their time in and how they consume media. Once you’ve established this, you can ensure your image and design fits your brand guidelines and ethos, what your target market will find appealing and what is suitable for specific channels. Also remember to talk the talk; speak their language so you don’t look out of place.
Advertise yourself to be seen.
Tell people you’re looking, research companies and get your name in from of the right audience so you’re not left in the background. You want to align yourself with people and influencers who fit your ideal ‘type’ and get them on your side; if you are open and honest and they fit your intended criteria, chances are the trust will be built on these foundations.
Make them feel special.
Everyone wants to feel special. When a brand listens and engages with a customer, they feel a sense of inclusivity while being exclusive; their opinion matters and you have taken the time to hear what they have to say and respond. On the other side, initiate the conversation through their preferred channels and see how you can add value to their life. If you are able to show this enhancement from your product or service, the customer will be more likely to stick with and develop the relationship.
Seal the deal.
This is the part where to put a firm hold on the relationship, you have to know what you want your customer to do and ask for commitment. Submit a call to action, whether it’s to get in touch, share a message or make a purchase – don’t let them go without giving them an instruction, plus confirmation that the request has been completed. They need to contribute their part to the relationship, while reminding them that in the long or short term, this will be beneficial to their life.
Keep the passion going.
This is perhaps one of the biggest challenges in any relationship; maintaining interest and excitement plus generating interactions and responses. Create targeted campaigns through social and online channels to attract new customers, while re-engaging those who are already familiar with the brand. Refresh and reinforce you key message regularly so both new and old customers don’t forget about your presence as so many brands fight for their attention.
For those who have already jumped onto your band-wagon and remained loyal, champion them and make them your ‘brand ambassadors – find a way to work and or partner with these people and businesses, and a way to create a mutually beneficial connection.
Step back and analyse.
What’s the best way to find out whether a relationship is working or not? Slow down, take a step back for a moment and assess the results of how it’s going. Depending on what your brand goals are, measure those metrics that are relevant to your aims, whether that be traffic, engagement, CTR, etc. to gauge what has worked and what hasn’t with your audience. Evaluate this information so you have a clearer idea in the future for what forms a successful relationship.