Making a company commitment: The power of the brand promise
We’ve all felt the pain of a broken promise.
In our personal lives, an unfulfilled pact can lead to heartache, ruined friendships, and relationship troubles. In the corporate world, an inability to stay true to your word could mean that you never earn the trust and loyalty of your target audience.
Whether you swear to deliver the best customer service that money can buy, or you pledge that your business practices will protect the environment, the promises you make help to define your company. They ensure that you can stand out from your competitors and make lasting relationships with your target audience.
Follow through on your promises, and you’ll end up with a loyal following of happy customers ready to advocate for your business. Fail to deliver on your #BrandPromise, and you’ll shatter customer trust. Your #BrandTransparency will suffer, and your audience will begin to question whether they can truly believe anything you say.
The question is, what defines an effective brand promise, and how do you make a commitment that keeps your consumers coming back for more?
Something to believe In: Defining your brand promise
A brand promise is a crucial part of your #BrandStrategy. As an extension of your company positioning statement, it helps to make your organisation more desirable, and relatable.
Today’s consumers want to buy from companies they can believe in. Before your clients even consider investing in your products and services, they’ll head onlineto see what they can find out about you from reviews, and testimonials. If your audience discovers that your brand promise is nothing but an empty claim, then you can rest assured they’ll take their business elsewhere.
If you think of your brand as a person, their appearance would be your visual assets and company logo, while their voice would be dictated by your marketing plans and distinct personality. In the personified brand, the brand promise is the heart of your company, the emotional centre that drives your company to deliver unforgettable experiences.
A pact with impact: Brand promise tips
A brand promise is more than just a #MarketingStrategy: it’s a crucial component of your identity, informed by your pre-existing company values and mission statement. When you commit to a brand promise, you’ll need to make sure that you can carry it with you in everything you do as a brand. That means that your promise doesn’t just show up in your strapline and marketing campaigns, it also helps to direct each decision you make as your organisation grows.
Though every brand promise is different, there are a few key elements that can separate a mundane pledge from a powerful promise. For instance:
1. Your brand promise should be simple
In today’s fast-paced and digitally connected world, you only have a few seconds to capture your customer’s attention. That means that you need to convey your identity as quickly and effectively as possible. Your brand promise should be clear, simple, and easy for your audience to understand. Not only will this help you to differentiate yourself more effectively, but a simple promise is easier for your employees to remember too.
A basic ethos described in a couple of sentences can guide your brand strategy and explain to your audience what your company is all about.
2. Your brand promise should be credible
Whether you’re building your brand promise on #CustomerExperience, innovation, or something else entirely, it’s tempting to tell your clients that you’ll give them the world. After all, every company is struggling to get ahead in a saturated marketplace. The more you claim to give your audience, the more likely it is that you’ll stand out. Unfortunately, if the commitments you make are too big, then you might not be able to act on them, which instantly damages your reputation.
For instance, in the 1980s, Ford claimed that they were all about quality, but they failed to follow through on that promise in their manufacturing. Customers began to resent the cars that seemed to need constant repairs, and Ford lost some of its standing in the marketplace. Fortunately, the brand did bounce back, but only after it began to follow through on its brand promise, with a focus on delivering better cars, and customer experiences.
3. Your brand promise should be unique
Finally, if all you do is promise to give your customers the same experience they’d expect from any other brand, then you’re not going to stand out much. Your brand promise can be a great way to differentiate yourself from other companies in your industry, but if you want to make the most of it, then you’ll need to make sure that you’re building on the things that make your company different and unique.
Start by looking at your brand positioning statement, and ask yourself how you can develop the defining points of your company. For instance, a tech company won’t make much of a splash if it promises to be innovative. All tech brands are forward-thinking and creative. However, if you promise your customers that they’ll get a response from your support team in less than 24-hours, then that could be a great way to appeal to fast-moving businesses who don’t have time to wait for answers.
Are you true to your word?
Like many things in the branding world, establishing a successful brand promise isn’t always easy. You’ll need to find a pledge that you can live by in everything you do and say as a company. However, if you pick your promise wisely, then it can act as the foundation for many long and meaningful relationships with your customers.
Promises are the foundation of customer trust. When your consumers trust you, they begin to feel loyal to your brand. That’s how you end up with high-value customers and brand advocates. To learn more about making your brand promise, check out our guide for tips, tricks, and examples.
As the component filtering your brand decisions and driving your company forward, your promise is at the heart of your brand strategy. Choose your commitments with care, and you’ll bring your business to life.
