How to Create a Strategic Brand Experience
When you hear the phrase ‘brand experience’ you might be tempted to think that it’s just the newest, most in vogue way to say (and do) the same things we’ve always said (and done). But actually, it’s a type of marketing that is revolutionising the relationship between you and your customer.
So, let’s start at the beginning.
What is Brand Experience?
Brand experience is a simple concept in theory, but incredibly complicated in action. In theory, brand experience is the entirety of the interaction you have with your customer (and potential customer). In other words, it’s every single interaction, touchpoint and experience that your customer (and potential customer) has with you—from the first time they become aware of your brand through a brand video through to the packaging your product arrives in, and every element in between. Every step of the way, your customers’ interactions with you must be curated to feel harmonious with your overall brand experience.
But despite the relative simplicity of the brand experience concept, putting it into action is far more difficult. This is partially because of the enormity of the connection. Because of this, you need to have a strategy in place to help you best manage your customer’s experience with your brand.
How to Create a Strategic Brand Experience
In order to create a strategic brand experience, you need to think of each element of your brand and consider how this will impact on or with your customer. These elements include your brand design, voice and message, the user experience, your image and visuals and your customer support and communication. All of these elements are important to the whole of your brand experience.
Then you need to ensure that each of these interactive elements leave your customers with a fantastic impression of your brand. Here’s how.
Express Your Purpose
Every element must always showcase what your central purpose is. That means that in your identity design (your logo as a starting point), in your customer service interactions, in your packaging, in all your communications, this purpose must be the central theme so that your customer understands what you’re about easily and quickly.
A great example of this is Tesla. Their purpose isn’t really to sell cars (though that’s part of what they do). Their purpose is to ‘accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy’, and they showcase this through each product and every element of their brand.
Embrace Sensory Marketing
Visual and sensory elements have become a vital part of the digital space. While this has always been a part of the retail experience, it’s now understood to be equally important in your virtual real estate. Your aesthetics—your visuals and auditory elements—have incredible strength. They capture attention, they garner emotions and they build your engagement.
Understand the Importance of Emotion
Your ability to build emotion into your customers’ experience with you is a vital part of your overall brand experience strategy. Emotions provoke your customers to take action and the right emotions guide them to make decisions that bring them into closer alignment with your brand (and become loyal long-term customers).
Be Customer Focused
To really embrace the strategic brand experience journey, you must be focused on your customer every step of the way. This means that you are always proactive in terms of anticipating and solving problems and concerns.
A great example of this is Afterpay. They give their customers something they really need (the ability to pay for a product over time). And when things don’t go quite right, their customers are well satisfied with their reliable and helpful customer service.
Encourage Communication
Engagement in this case is better thought of as communication. And for a truly immersive brand experience, you need to encourage multi-way communication. What does that mean? Well, that means that you’re not only telling your message and story to your customers, but you’re listening as they respond to you. And you’re encouraging them to interact in your brand’s name with each other.
How do you do this? Encourage interaction on social media. Create communities that embrace your customers and potential customers. And create opportunities for your customers to become part of your brand’s routines and activities. This might be videos on TikTok. Competitions on Instagram. Or monthly in-store promotions. The opportunities are endless.
Benefits of a Strong, Strategic Brand Experience
The benefits of a strong, strategic brand experience are numerous:
Loyal customers
Value to your customers
Increased awareness
Positive relationships with your customers
More longevity in the market
Higher competitiveness in your niche
But at the end of the day, the most important thing is that companies and organisations that are able to apply brand experience strategically will elevate their performance in the market. And isn’t that the most important result?