Beyond a Logo: Cultivating a Brand Experience That Lasts
Cultivating a stellar brand experience
Picture This.
It's Saturday evening and you stroll past a new high-end restaurant in town. The sign on the door promises "an unforgettable culinary experience," and after a hectic week, you're intrigued.
But as soon as you step inside, instead of the elegant ambiance you were expecting, you're met with bright fluorescent lights and a playlist blaring pop hits from a decade ago.
Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy some classic Bieber tunes, but not when I'm trying to savor a luxurious dining experience. The atmosphere feels off, and suddenly, I'm questioning what their idea of "unforgettable" entails.
Their marketing message piqued my interest, but there's a clear discrepancy between the promise they made and the reality they're delivering.
Now, you might be wondering, “Brooke, since when are you an expert on fine dining?” I’m not, but I do pay close attention to brand experiences.
Allow me to explain.
When there's a disconnect between what you're offering and how you're presenting it, your clientele will notice immediately. They might dine with you once, but they won't become loyal patrons, and they certainly won't rave about you to their friends.
Inconsistencies in branding erode trust.
If you're marketing yourself as a destination for local fine dining, but your wrinkly menu is filled with fast-food options served on plastic plates, trust is compromised.
If you're charging premium prices, but the service feels lackluster and impersonal, trust is compromised.
Remember, every experience someone has with your business has the potential to become a part of their story.
So what does this have to do with branding? EVERYTHING.
Let’s break it down.
Remember, every touchpoint someone has with your brand shapes their perception of it, whether it's encountering your marketing message, engaging with your brand visuals, using a software to book a service with you, or experiencing your brick and mortar in person. These occurrences also ultimately influence their decision to return.
So how do you craft a brand experience that keeps people coming back?
Consistency is key. When your brand message aligns with your brand visuals and the actual experience you provide, you build trust with your audience. They feel confident that what they see is what they'll get, and that leads to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals. This is quite literally what it means to be “on-brand.”
Details matter. We see it all the time - clients want to overlook the smaller aspects of a brand like submarks, branded merch, environmental design or marketing materials in an effort to cut costs. We are highly sensitive to budget limitations, and yet there is a difference between someone who understands that the details of a brand are what create the brand experience they are after, and someone who doesn’t take the vision for their brand past the logo and website.
Substance goes the distance. We are huge fans of aesthetically-pleasing brands. Obviously. But even the most stunning of visual brands cannot do for your customers what you can do for them: make their life better. That said, a polished, artistic brand will help get people’s attention. But the reason we start with a comprehensive strategy around your values and messaging, before we begin playing with colors and shapes is that we want to make sure that whatever we create highlights the depth and purpose of your brand identity.
So, as you craft your brand strategy, remember the power of consistency. Every detail matters, from the font you use in your logo to the ambiance in your proverbial “restaurant” to the quality of service you deliver. It all adds up to create a cohesive and compelling brand experience that keeps customers coming back for more.
