Brand loyalty is defined by some organizations as simply having repeat customers. While repeat purchase behavior is certainly a good thing, it doesn’t necessarily mean customers have a long-term, deep attachment to the brand—a personal, deeply felt emotional connection that inspires true loyalty.
At Disney Institute, we have found that true brand loyalty is based on creating something truly special so that when customers interact with your brand, an emotional connection is built, and the foundation for a long-term relationship is formed. So, how can an organization move beyond simple repeat-purchase behavior to building true brand attachment? Start by making a meaningful and credible brand promise to your customers, and then deliver on that promise over and over again.
At Disney Institute, we have found that true brand loyalty is based on creating something truly special so that when customers interact with your brand, an emotional connection is built, and the foundation for a long-term relationship is formed. So, how can an organization move beyond simple repeat-purchase behavior to building true brand attachment? Start by making a meaningful and credible brand promise to your customers, and then deliver on that promise over and over again.
In our Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence professional development course, we share with participants that a "brand promise" is a succinct statement of the tangible and intangible benefits provided by the ideal brand experience. In other words, a brand promise is a statement of how you want the customer to feel when they interact with your product or service.
So, what constitutes an effective brand promise—one that connects emotionally with customers and is the basis on which relationships can be formed? Here are four things customers are looking for a brand promise to be:
- Important – Customers have expectations regarding the fair exchange of value. In exchange for their money and time, they rightfully expect something meaningful in return. The brand promise must convey what matters most to your customers.
- Credible – Customers must believe that what you are promising is possible and deliverable. It has never been good policy to “over-promise” and “under-deliver.”
- Exclusive – No organization can be successful at trying to be everything for everybody. Find your niche, and carve out a unique space to “own” in the mind of your customer.
- Differentiating – The brand promise must truly set you apart from your competitors and be based on legitimate differentiators.
The ultimate reward for making and keeping an effective brand promise is deep attachment between your brand and your customer. The key will be delivering consistently on your promise…over, and over, and over again. This will require everyone in the organization to become brand ambassadors and brand managers who understand and apply the brand promise to their daily decisions and actions.
For more learning on this topic, check out:
- The Secret to Delighting (And Keeping) Your Customers…
- Creating Your Organization’s Total Brand Experience
- The Secret to Increasing Brand Loyalty? Fill In The Gaps; Don’t Let It Go
How does your brand promise help foster deep attachment with your customers?
To view the original article please visit: https://disneyinstitute.com/blog/2015/03/its-not-just-luck-4-things-a-brand-promise-needs-to-drive-customer-loyalty/336
