A Gut Feeling
Whether it's a brand we like or one we dislike we elicit an emotional response to EVERY brand we come across in our daily lives. And all because we're HUMAN. Several factors play into our emotional response to a brand, but for most of us it comes down to one very important emotion: TRUST.
To be blunt, your Brand is confusing and/or boring (yikes, if it's both)... Yes, you. Sorry, but I'm not sorry. In my effort to help you, I'm offering my honesty on the matter.
"What's he talking about?" you may be asking.
Simple:
1. Confusing = inconsistent + not reliable
2. Boring = emotionless + not delightful
***Again, yikes if it's both***
Allow me to elaborate:
The GREAT Marty Neumeier (google him) once defined Brand as:
"... a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or organization."
Ok, cool! Love it... So what does Marty mean by that?
Put simply, we're PEOPLE and we have FEELINGS. - Think about your favorite brands - we all have them. A few of mine; Apple, Gibson Guitars, NFL, Squarespace - Now think about your least favorite brands... (ugh, right...?)
Whether it's a brand we like or one we dislike we elicit an emotional response to EVERY brand we come across in our daily lives. And all because we're HUMAN. Several factors play into our emotional response to a brand, but for most of us it comes down to one very important emotion: TRUST.
TRUST in terms of branding equals Reliability + Delight. *Thanks again Marty Neumeier. Really! Google him.
I've given this some thought and I want to explain why I agree with Neumeier on this, and why you should THINK CRITICALLY about the equation TRUST = Reliability + Delight when you're branding or rebranding your business. Ponder this:
1. Reliability: Is your packaging, messaging, web copy, graphic design, videos, advertising, marketing content, website, blog, brick and mortar shop or facility, employees, managers, owners or workers CONSISTENT with the Brand of your business?? If you haven't projected a seamless display of consistency you're in danger of being seen by your customers/clients/patrons as being unreliable. You MUST focus, Focus, FOCUS your efforts on consistency in order to gain their TRUST.
2. Delight: Are you creating the emotion of Delight for your customer base? If you haven't created a brand that elicits the emotional response of Delight in someone's gut your brand is more than likely BORING! You MUST focus, Focus, FOCUS your efforts into creating the experience and emotion of delight for your customers/clients/patrons in order to gain their TRUST.
So what IS your customers or clients "gut feeling" about your Brand?
1. Try asking them (ask lot's of how's and why's).
2. Take lots and lots of notes on what they have to say.
3. Make the necessary changes to your brand.
Be reliable, be delightful, be trustworthy...
If you have any questions or want to get deep about it, I'd LOVE to help. Please get in touch!
