Yours Sincerely: What Is Brand Integrity?

Which part of your brand appeals most to your customers?

It might surprise you to learn that it’s not your great prices or your exceptional delivery speeds that keep clients coming back for more. While those things contribute to a great brand, the truth is that nothing matters more to your audience than #BrandIntegrity.

Authenticity, transparency, and sincerity are all critical components of the brand experience today. If you show your customers that you can stick by your principles, follow through on your promises, and act with candour, then you’ll be rewarded with their loyalty (and cash). On the other hand, brands that lack integrity risk a flaky reputation, and difficulty converting leads into customers.

The question is, how do you build a brand that demonstrates integrity, and how can your sense of honour support your business growth?

Feeling Forthright: Defining Brand Integrity

All companies make promises to their customers. They vow to deliver excellent service, innovative products, and state-of-the-art support. However, all these pledges mean nothing unless the company has the brand integrity to back them up. Your integrity is a crucial part of your reputation, as it convinces your customers that your word has weight.

Brands with integrity define themselves by their values, vision, and what they stand for. Once you know what your company is all about, you’ll need to act with confidence, consistency, and resilience if you want to achieve #Integrity.

In an era where trust has never been more important, brand integrity gives substance to the things you say and do. It builds on the human side of your organisation and makes it easier for customers to build relationships with you. Whether you’re rebranding an existing company or establishing a start-up from scratch, brand integrity:

• Helps you stand above the competition.
• Transforms customers into advocates and encourages engagement.
• Marks you as a reliable and trustworthy organisation.
• Helps people to understand the context of your business.

How to Become a Brand with Integrity

Brands with integrity are consistent and focused.

They start by deciding what they want their brand identity to be, then come up with unique marketing campaigns that demonstrate their #BrandHonesty and build consumer trust. For instance, if you decide from day one that you want to be a socially-responsible, and environmentally-friendly brand, establishing relationships with local sustainable charities and groups is a great way to show your integrity.

Brand integrity begins with going back to the grassroots of your venture and applying your vision, values, and beliefs to everything you do. Then you can:

1. Connect to Something Bigger

While you can earn brand integrity by simply following through on your promises for great customer service and high-quality products, today’s customers are looking for something more. In a world where your clients think it’s crucial for you to give something back to your community, it’s important to show your followers that you’re willing to stand for the things they care about. Working with charities and other businesses to make the world a better place is a great way to show that you care and develop #CustomerTrust.

2. Be Accountable

A brand with integrity doesn’t just stick to its word. While it’s important to make sure that you follow through on the promises you make to your customers, it’s also crucial to apologize when you don’t quite hit the mark. Hold your hands up and admit to your mistakes when they happen. When customers see that you’re willing to take responsibility for your actions, you’ll find that they develop stronger relationships with your company.

3. Show Consistency

Finally, make sure that you don’t send any mixed messages to your customers. Brand integrity thrives on consistency. Start by defining what kind of image you want to create for your company, and then stick to those guidelines in everything you do. A set of guidelines or a brand manifesto can be a good way to ensure that everyone in your organisation is on the same page when it comes to representing your business.

Preserving Customer Trust: Ways to Build Brand Integrity

Organisations with brand integrity set themselves apart from the crowd because they operate with absolute transparency. They bring humanity back to business relationships by projecting an atmosphere of honesty and openness around their organisation.

If you want to differentiate your company with honesty and integrity, there are few things you can do to start enhancing your marketing campaigns and developing long-term loyalty.

1. Share Authentic Stories

The next time you’re planning a big marketing campaign, try reaching out to your advocates first. Customers and employees who can speak on the behalf of your brand can deliver a much more authentic experience than any advertising strategy. Real word-of-mouth stories from the people connected with your organisation can act as proof that you really do honour your word.

2. Offer Great Customer Service

#CustomerExperience is everything in today’s competitive marketplace. Whether it’s the blogs and articles you use to educate your customers about your company and niche, or the call centres your service agents manage, it’s important to show your clients that you’re there for them every step of the way. Even if you’re not having face-to-face conversations with your clients, you can still convince them that you’re worthy of their trust with exceptional service.

3. Get Emotional

Finally, brands are automatically more believable and relatable when they act with emotion. The more emotional you are in your messaging and marketing campaigns, the easier it will be for your customers to believe that you’re really invested in the causes that matter to them. Remember, it’s not enough to simply tell your clients that you care about the same issues that they do. Action always speaks louder than words for today’s cynical customers.

Building Brand Integrity: It Takes Time

Brand integrity can create a foundation for companies to build strong relationships with their customers. As our lives become increasingly digital, many of today’s customers are spending more time searching for brands that can offer them authentic, genuine relationships.

With brand integrity, companies can establish credibility in a world where clients are never sure who they should trust. When you achieve brand integrity, you make it easier to convert leads into customers, and customers into the advocates that will shape, and transform your brand.

To learn more about brand integrity, check out our complete guide for tips, advice, and examples of companies doing it right. On the other hand, you can always reach out to Fabrik for personalised support in building the perfect brand.