Brand engagement
Every interaction you have with your customers or prospects is an opportunity to build your brand.
Assuming you have defined your brand or at least expressed why your business exists, how you make your customers lives better, and what differentiates you – now what do you do? It’s critical that you have a strategy to make the most out of every touchpoint and engagement. Each of these opportunities can either help you connect with your target audience or leave it to chance that they have a meaningful and unique experience that helps you stand out from the competition.
WHAT IS BRAND ENGAGEMENT?
Simply put, it’s walking the talk - consistently and every time a customer or prospect interacts with your company, whether that is through your employees, online, or through your communications and advertising. In a previous article I wrote about that your brand is not your logo. A brand is what people feel and experience about your product, service, or entire organization. It’s part rational but also very emotional. It’s the difference between tissues vs. Kleenex, or sneakers vs. Nikes. It’s about being authentic. Brand engagement is ensuring you have a plan and guidelines on how you bring your brand to life in everyday real interactions.
A personal brand example is Lemonade Insurance. I purchased pet insurance with them when I picked up our Covid lockdown rescue dog 2 years ago. Their slogan is, “Instant everything, Great Prices, Big Heart.” From what I read, it seemed they made things easy, fast, and actually cared about having the right coverage for my pup. Their website says, “Get insured in seconds and get paid in minutes.” The proof came when I had to file my first claim. They did just that. Their app was simple to use. The claim was handled fast. The communication was friendly, approachable, and personable. And this is an insurance company. Don’t tell them this, but even if they raised their prices, I wouldn’t switch. Why? I now have that emotional and rational connection. They have my trust. They lived up to what they said and now it’s no longer just a transactional arrangement.
BRAND ENGAGEMENT TIPS
Your employees are your biggest brand asset
Every employee represents your company. It’s important they understand your brand – its mission, vision, and values. Give them examples of what it looks like and what it doesn’t when handling an interaction, customer complaints, sales calls, and simple everyday communications over the phone, in person, or through your social platforms. Once your employees truly understand and embody the culture of your company, they won’t need to reference a handbook on what to do – they will know what is right to do.
Listen to your customers.Take the time to sit down and listen to your customers. Follow-up on reviews, complaints, and compliments. Sales and other metrics are very important, but they only tell you what happened after the fact. Listening to your customers through dialogue can help you understand why they buy from you. Their actions are one thing, but it’s also important to know what they are thinking and feeling.
Tell your story. Your company has a personal story to tell, and most don’t talk about it or do it very well. People want to buy and work with people they like, understand, and share common values with. Your story on not just what you do and how you do it, but why you do it is what helps create that emotional connection that is critical to long-term loyalty.
Remember, it’s more than just words. Any company can write the most eloquent mission statement, have a beautiful website, and create stunning ads – at the end of the day, the reality of your customers’ experience is the test. Think about what you say and look at every interaction and question how well you are delivering on your promises – consistently.