When you make reservations at the upscale restaurant, you order the ideal food with the perfect flavors, and everything is top-notch. When the atmosphere is impeccable, the customer service is well above par, and the food melts in your mouth. It’s an evening to remember. You tell your friends, and you might even brag on social media. That is golden in the marketing world. These are authentic experiences with the restaurant. The restaurant has branded itself as exquisite. It wasn’t just the food that won you over; it was the whole evening. Not just the chef but the host or hostess, the parking arrangements, the smell of the restaurant, and even how the pricing was communicated made the perfect recipe for a great event. But, if a tiny detail was left off, the experience is no longer excellent but just mediocre.
This is the life of a brand. Whether you sell vacation homes, shoes, new training software, or a home service, branding is felt in all aspects of the experience with your company. We must focus on our customer experience to enhance our brand image. Branding is traditionally thought of as an icon or a logo, and while this is true, it’s only a piece of the experience, not the entire experience. We must see the bigger picture of our brand's customer experience to see an authentic winning culture.
The first interaction with your company matters when homeowners look to decide on their contractors! We must consider how a client might contact you and how that happens with all the available technology. Is your website friendly and easy to navigate, or is it too busy and clunky with chat options, “book now” options, get financing now options, etc? Or, is it nice, clean, and easy to contact you how the client wishes to reach out? Are your social media channels filled out with your contact information so you are easily reachable? If they love your contact, is there a link in your captions to allow them to schedule quickly? Does your customer service team answer the phone with confidence and empathy? We want to WIN the ring! Like a spider web, we have them in our “web” of greatness once they call us. All these things are a potential customer's first impression of your company. These interactions set the tone for your company’s success. They are the brand.
This leads down a rabbit hole because, technically, their first impression of your brand was through advertising! If your billboard looks old, faded, and tattered, your company must be withered and worn in the eyes of potential clients. If you have a boring radio ad or generic truck wrap, you aren't memorable, nor will their experience with your brand. We must strive to be different, but with “different” comes investment. It’s hard to dare to be different when you can barely make payroll. You must invest in your brand and your company's future.
Whether we like it or not, our community has already decided what type of company we are before they do business with us. Their interaction with your company at community events, doing charitable work, and your visible presence already invokes emotions. This is how mascots help win the relationship game with potential new customers; it’s a differentiator and memorable for your community. You need to make yourself unforgettable and relatable. That’s the secret sauce on any plate of advertising. Eat it up, guys. It’s the recipe for brand success and brand longevity. Get brave, get risky, and GROW your business.
Crystal Williams is founder and strategist for Lemon Seed Marketing, a full-service marketing team based in Diboll, TX. Find them at lemonseedmarketing.com.