How to Make Your Customers Fall in Love with Your Brand
You
may be able to woo your customer into a sale, but how do you keep the
sparks alive in the long term? Here are some tips from a pro.
Have you ever fallen in love with a brand?
You know--like the way you have that Starbucks skinny soy vanilla
latte, extra shot, extra hot sitting at your side every afternoon? Or
the way you feel about the Nike Air Max sneakers that have taken you
over the finish line in three different cities? You have a relationship
with these brands. So much so that they may spark certain emotions or
qualities: your Starbucks beverage helps you to feel relaxed and
creative; the Nikes make you feel confident and determined.
Research reveals that the connections we make with brands can be as deep and emotional as the relationships we have with other people. With some brands, we have wild, short-term flings. With others, we "fall in love" and enter a mutually beneficial relationship.
In "Romancing the Brand: How Brands Create Strong, intimate Relationships with Consumers," branding expert Tim Halloran argues that today's effective marketer must foster a deep, committed, and emotionally connected relationship with their consumer base. They must keep the sparks alive in a long-term relationship rather than focus solely on the short-term, single purchase.
It's important to make your customers feel special and to create a bond, just as you would in a romantic relationship. Halloran offers these examples of brands who are the gold medalists of break time in this year's winter Olympics. Their ads certainly romance the consumers.
Research reveals that the connections we make with brands can be as deep and emotional as the relationships we have with other people. With some brands, we have wild, short-term flings. With others, we "fall in love" and enter a mutually beneficial relationship.
In "Romancing the Brand: How Brands Create Strong, intimate Relationships with Consumers," branding expert Tim Halloran argues that today's effective marketer must foster a deep, committed, and emotionally connected relationship with their consumer base. They must keep the sparks alive in a long-term relationship rather than focus solely on the short-term, single purchase.
It's important to make your customers feel special and to create a bond, just as you would in a romantic relationship. Halloran offers these examples of brands who are the gold medalists of break time in this year's winter Olympics. Their ads certainly romance the consumers.
P&G: Pick Them Back Up--Continuing
to tug on our emotional heartstrings by emphasizing the influence of
"mom" in all of our lives, the spot clearly romances mom by letting her
know how important her role is in her children's lives. The tagline
makes this celebration complete: "P&G: the Proud Sponsor of Moms. It
is this type of "thank you" that enables P&G to build a strong
relationship with its consumer.
Citibank: Every Step of the Way--Citibank
will let their consumer base help decide where a $500,000 contribution
will go among a number of options in helping future athletes "reach
their full potential through sports program that inspire." This is an
example of a brand empowering consumers, by giving them a voice in the
ways that CitiBank will support Olympic hopefuls. Citibank is saying
that "we trust you" and want to be partners with you. In any
relationship, trust is a cornerstone. In this case, Citibank is building
its faith on its consumer base.
So how can you help your audience fall in love with your brand?
Halloran offers his secrets to romancing the brand with this roadmap
showing how brands and consumers interact and evolve over their life
span.
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