Brands That Sell Themselves
Ever wondered why some products tend to leave the shelf as soon as they drop? Yes? No? Okay; Before we proceed, let’s take a mini-test.
What comes to mind first when you think phones? iPhone? Samsung?
Whatever your answers were, shows that either the brand has left an impression on you or you are simply a brand loyalist. This is why there are many brands that can create a new product and have a sellout the next day; the same reason why people strive to get the latest Apple product as soon as it debuts; a good instance is the iPhone 12.
A good number of brands get so popular that their names become the face of the product; for instance, in Nigeria, think noodles and Indomie comes to mind, think seasoning, and you have Maggi, think detergent, think Omo. The list is endless, but in all, these are brands that established themselves and built an army of loyalists while selling themselves effortlessly.
Want to know the secret behind some of your popular brands selling themselves? Read on.
“Our philosophy is that we care about people first.”
-Mark Zuckerberg
Despite the boom of social media and networking, Facebook has stood and maintained its reputation for about 16 years without compromising on their values. This is possible because of their brand promise to put people first, and this is evident in the products and offerings they churn out frequently. Facebook is one of the brands that has defined the social networking space and occupied a niche in the minds of users as well as amassing brand loyalists because they have kept the promise of being personal, informative, and entertaining.
Apple
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
-Steve Jobs
There is a difference between keeping up with a trend and being the trendsetter yourself; This is the story behind Apple’s success. The number of brand loyalists, almost like a brand cult that uses the array of Apple products, is one to be studied. Apple loyalists are mostly willing to do away with their still functional phones just to get the latest product. Innovation has been spotlighted as the reason for Apple selling itself. Just like a present under the Christmas tree, every new product has something novel and exciting to offer their customers, no matter how small.
Samsung
“An enterprise’s most vital assets lie in its design and other creative capabilities.”
-Lee Kun-hee
Another contender in the tech world is Samsung with its wide range of products and, of course, its sworn brand defenders. This is another brand that quickly comes to the minds of people whenever phones are mentioned, and this is as a result of the accessibility of the brand. Samsung has a phone for everyone’s budget; therefore, catering to various demographics simultaneously. As a result, they span across varying target audiences with the same promise of quality made to fit their pockets.
Netflix
“As an entrepreneur, you have to feel like you can jump out of an aeroplane because you’re confident that you’ll catch a bird flying by. It’s an act of stupidity, and most entrepreneurs go splat because the bird doesn’t come by, but a few times it does.”
-Reed Hastings
When you think movies, more often than not, you think, “Netflix and Chill.” It takes some level of popularity for a brand to be used in a phrase effortlessly. The growth of Netflix is one that inspires entrepreneurs to always go for what they want, no matter how crazy they sound. At the start of the company, they focused on delivering DVD tapes via mail; they then graduated to paying for the rights to old TV shows and moved on to what we have now as one of the biggest movie streaming platforms with original never-been-seen content as well. In all, Netflix is one company that has been disruptive from the get-go; a great way to keep loyalists expectant.
In general, one thing consistent about the brands above is the focus on the brand itself and the people, not just the product for sale. So your success story recipe could be a pint of the selflessness of Facebook, a bowl of Apple’s innovation, drops of Samsung’s accessibility, and the go-getter nature of Netflix.
Mix it all up, and you get a brand that remains on the lips of your customers.
