Brands That Sell Human Connection Sell Faster & Last Longer

 

It’s not what ‘hits the market’ first but what ‘hits the hearts’ first that wins the race.

In today’s day and age, it is not necessary to launch a service with more convenience or better innovation design. Today’s successful brands are bringing a normal product with a heart-wrenching story to ace the race. You could also hit a fortune by launching an already existing market product with a masterfully crafted yet honest brand story. Here’s how!

Paying attention to people is just as crucial as paying attention to your product.

Success lies in winning hearts

 

It is through the heart that a newly launched brand or an existing brand emerges as a widely loved brand. When people start to feel deeply for the brand, when they become emotionally invested in its story — that is when the brand is set on the trajectory of success.

Connecting at a deeper level

 

Connecting with your audiences at a deeper consciousness is key. It’s more than just giving more value through products, it’s more than just creating the image of a socially responsible brand. It’s more than all of that. Just simply saying that you care for your artisans wouldn’t draw your audiences closer to making a purchase.

A consistent brand imagery to sustain that brand identity is crucial. It is something that every brand, whether it is selling a common product or an innovative one has to consciously integrate into its marketing by taking some steps with the help of specialists. For Example: Noon, Dubai’s popular online marketplace’s marketing has successfully created its consumer-centric brand identity. People connect with the brand imagery, trust it, buy from it and keep coming back for more.

Make People Vibe With Your Brand

 

People, especially the Millennials like to advocate for brands whose stories they connect with. Whether it’s wearing its products like jerseys or using its stationery or simply sharing its post on their personal social media, they do it with ease and in the heat of the moment. This makes them feel good, makes them feel that they belong here and hence, they want to go all out to share their kind of brand with their tribe.

People like sharing what they found and their sharing frequency increases if they like what they found.


Sharing is happiness for most Millennials.

Consumers today want to invest in a brand in its initial stage and once the brand starts getting public attention, they take pride in having discovered that brand early on and they are excited to share their discovery with the world. They robustly share their experiences with their friends, family and mostly over their personal social media or on their blog if they have any. For Example: If a corporate tech junkie discovers your brand and likes your product, he is most likely to share it with all his colleagues at his workplace, thereby giving you brand exposure at zero cost. Once the brand becomes known, he would want to portray himself as one of the early discoverers of the brand, ultimately leading to a higher brand value in the long-run.


 

Engaging conversations on social media

 

People want to actively participate with your social channels if your brand story strikes a chord with them and your brand values resonate with theirs. People even share something they find interesting on your page - whether it’s a fun video or a heart-touching story of the artisans or just an attractive looking product. They share. And those who they share it with, share even further. That is why these days startups are stealing limelight at a flashy speed and getting more attention than established brands. This frequent impulsive sharing is induced by social media apps like Instagram, etc. and aids new brands to reach thousands of lakhs of people without spending a lot of marketing budget. But it all starts with one thing: When Your Brand Story Creates A Human Connection.

The customer stays with you if you make him feel better. Telling the brand story in a strategic way with the help of professionals can land you in a magnetic position where people come in flowing to you. The idea is to make a connection with the consumer at every touchpoint through standardised communication — if selling at malls, it could be through incredible packaging, if selling online, then social media handles or your website should be able to strike a chord. Middle-Eastern brands in KSA and Gulf Area are vigorously relying on Packaging Guidelines to keep their communications more streamlined and professional across different channels. Consistency is queen, indeed.

The bottom-line is that if the brand story works its magic on the consumers on a consistent basis, no doubt a purchase from them would come soon and once they are satisfied with the product, their loyalty just plays on repeat, bringing you long-run benefits. Regardless of whether your product is an innovation or a generic commodity, what stays is the connection before selling, and the product experience after selling — that doesn’t fade away! And that is what makes a brand The Brand.

If you have been planning to launch a new startup or rebrand an existing one, now is the time to get started. Whether it is a logo redesign, a website redesign, refreshed messaging, or a complete brand makeover, it’s time you get in touch with professional branding agencies like Vowels to make your vision come true. We specialize in brand consultancy, strategy, brand guidelines, CI manual, brand presentation, and corporate branding.

Extended across multiple countries like the Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain, we believe in providing exclusive solutions to all your brand problems.

PS: “It all starts with human connection .

Also read - How F&B Brands Can Develop A ‘Signature’ Brand Identity?

5 Things Consumers Value Most In A Brand During Pandemic

 

With employees working from home and industries pausing operations, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact. Overnight, business strategies and leadership were put to test as authorities announced lockdown as the only means to flatten the curve. Millions of people across the globe had to adjust to the new model of working from home to keep the operations afloat.

2020 has changed things for marketers and brands in a way we could never have imagined. The brands that were traditional marketing-oriented are also now moving progressively towards digital. Many companies adopted digital ways of working overnight. As the markets unlock, while we cannot predict many things, one thing is for sure that Digital is the way ahead – in terms of marketing and mode of work.

COVID-19 and its challenges are profound but not limited to a specific country or industry. Among many things, it has changed the way businesses function and operate, connect, and advertise. It has been more than 6 months since the lockdown was first implemented. After surviving the unprecedented times, now, the branding and marketing industry is all set to help the brands make their comeback into the markets. Brands are cautiously but progressively starting to confide in marketing again, embracing the changing times, brands are seen preparing for this new quarter ready with plans that help them win the customer’s confidence back.

Usually, wars, epidemics, and pandemics trigger recessions, slow businesses, and growth. However, the coronavirus pandemic is forcing every conglomerate to rethink and re-strategize. It is time we change the approach and embrace the importance of narrating a brand story, creating a unique image, and carve a niche with an empathetic yet positive brand voice.

In this article let’s discuss the intangible values a brand can provide to its customer to strengthen its brand image.

A Digital Bridge Connecting The Outside World

Situations like lockdown or work-from-home are strange circumstances, clouded by confusion and uncertainty, it craves the need for reliable information. As a brand, ‘informative’ and ’empathetic’ messages adhering to the latest policy change/update or adding value by replacing an in-person experience by a virtual interaction will always be remembered. Branding is not a visual element of a brand, it is also what and how you communicate your message.

For example One of the biggest fashion federations, FHCM’, hosted their first-ever virtual fashion week. Delivering fashion enthusiasts an immersive virtual experience. Collections were presented digitally and without audiences. They stayed true to their brand value but took a creative approach while respecting social distancing rules.

Communicate To Reduce Anxiety

Proactive communication from a brand’s end helps reduce the surrounding anxiety and gives consumers a greater sense of control. Airlines, hotels, and resorts who are at the forefront of the pandemic proactively inform their customers about refund, cancellation policies, updated sanitation and hygiene protocols to address the anxiety brought on by the current situation.

Traditional stores and e-commerce companies can reduce anxiety by providing greater transparency on the availability of stocks, social distancing measures, and delivery rather than taking orders and later cancelling them. Companies must ensure a clear and transparent communication to reduce further confusion and hysteria. One of the best ways is to release a formal statement and add it to your mobile app and website.

Promote Care & Wellness

In a crisis, consumers’ actions and decisions are guided by perceived risk. Especially in unprecedented times like ours, it is common for them to be anxious about their safety. As a brand, you must recognise the pain points and set up a clear yet empathetic channel of communication.

Food delivery companies like Zomato and Swiggy are attempting to reduce the risk of contamination through contactless deliveries, constant temperature checks while certain regional news channels are providing a live epidemic map to help people avoid areas affected by the spread of coronavirus.

In difficult times, it is crucial to transcend beyond your product/service and spread a message of compassion and wellness, showing your brand personality. Instead of promoting gyms and fitness classes, focus on values like wellness, resilience, and positivity.

These actions humanize your brand and shed a positive light, hence improving the perception of your brand.

Entertainment And Engage

One of the most substantial rises is witnessed in screen time. While some have gravitated towards traditional channels like Tv, others are surfing the internet for entertainment and engagement. Platforms like Amazon Prime which was once targeted towards the working professional are now focusing on every segment of a household during the outbreak.

For brands and OTT platforms it is an opportune moment to acquire new customers, tailor their offerings to the current times while testing new content to identify future consumption patterns. A delightful experience will ensure customers stay hooked. With digital being the future, brands that have invested in great content and user experience will stand to gain disproportionately.

CSR Is Not An Activity Rather A Priority

Customers value a brand’s ability to overlook its profit and help other people or society at large. Companies that link their vision, and mission to a greater good, provide this value to customers. This could be done by donating, crowdfunding, or asking for people’s help by digitally serving as volunteers. Even the simple act of applauding and supporting health workers holds meaning beyond the self.

With gloomy economic forecasts and thousands of layoffs in every sector of every industry, businesses and governments must consider whether their actions and communications deliver those types of value. If not, refrain from taking any action or releasing a formal statement, pretence will do more harm than good. Empty promises and fake concern will project negative impressions or, worse, make consumers even more anxious.

Conclusion

These difficult times shall pass too, and consumers will look back at these actions and remember those that stepped forward and helped – from a small restaurant that distributed free food to a Multinational Corporation that rose to the occasion and delivered on the challenging tasks.

Consumers will also remember the companies who treated their customers and employees well. In the middle of everything, we must not forget that we have a rare time frame where business is picking the pace yet not all-consuming. It is also an ideal time to think about rebranding and tailoring your brand to the changed times.

If you wish to rebrand your own business whether it is logo redesign, a website redesign, refreshed messaging, or a complete brand makeover, it’s time you get in touch with professional branding agencies like Vowels to make your vision come true. We specializes in brand consultancy, strategy, brand guidelines, CI manual, brand presentation, and corporate branding.

Extended across multiple countries like the Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain, we believe in providing exclusive solutions to all your brand problems.

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Also Read - The Ultimate Guide to Successful Rebranding