Brand Experiences Outlive Customer Journeys

Once upon a time, brands and customers had a transactional relationship. People would buy products, enjoy a positive experience, and return for subsequent purchases. Nowadays; however, the brand relationship is formed by developing an ongoing presence in the lives of customers. Creating that presence isn’t always easy, but below are a few tips that will help.

• Know your audience
  Thanks to the internet and artificial intelligence, companies can gather more valuable information about current and prospective customers. That means you can learn what they care about beyond your product and associate your company with those interests. Nike built an empire around the idea of persistence, and Starbucks associates itself with the socially responsible lifestyle. If you can make your brand bigger than your product, you’ll broaden your audience and strengthen your brand’s appeal.

• Build trust through education
  Today’s connected consumers have their radar up, and traditional marketing makes them suspicious. This is why you see more businesses providing free educational content. Being helpful and sincere, it turns out, develops brand loyalty. And as your company establishes itself as an authority in a subject area, it builds trust with people long before any purchase.

• Create shareable moments
  With every customer interaction—a website visit, a social media post, a chat, or a sales order—you create an impression. So, make each one memorable. Show empathy, be personal and tailor the experience as best you can. You want to make people happy, and you want them to tell friends and social media contacts how pleased they are.

• Embrace influencers
  Influencer marketing is in full swing. Customers rely heavily on the recommendations of experts and reviewers on social media. They already trust these influencers, and they know that other followers trust them as well. By associating with influencers who believe in your company, you can leverage their reach and resonance to promote your brand.

You might have the greatest product in your industry, but if you fail to create a positive, ongoing presence, your brand won’t succeed. Your brand relies on far more than your goods or services. It relies on enjoyable, personal experiences that customers appreciate, remember and share.

Based on How to Create a Better Brand Experience: Move Beyond the Customer Journey by Shama Hyder