are you asking your customers to work too hard?

Sometimes buying is harder than selling ...

Think about this - you are choosing a lunch spot on Sunday afternoon. Naturally, you’ll consider what you’re in the mood for. But, you also subconsciously start listing the lunch places you’ve either eaten at before, or are very familiar with. Whyyyyy?

Because - familiarity saves valuable brain calories that your body subconsciously tries to preserve for a more important decision or moment that may come later in the day. Your brain knows deep down that where to eat lunch is not a decision that is worth a lot of calories. Which is why buying is harder than selling.

Back to Sunday lunch - you will most likely choose either a) a place you’ve eaten before or b) a place that is highly familiar to you i.e. referred by a friend, establishment with good rapport in your neighborhood.

So, if it takes you that much energy just to choose lunch, think about how much energy you’re asking your potential customer to spend choosing your brand or product.

When you need to win over a potential customer in your target market, you have to remember that you are asking them to leave their comfort zone and inconvenience themselves by spending valuable brain calories making a buying choice.

Consumers make choices based on things like comfort, familiarity, pre-existing brand loyalty, and convenience.

When your marketing asks a consumer to buy a product or service, you’re asking them to shift their loyalties. Loyalty is often a result of feeling comfortable with a brand. That comfort, that loyalty, has to be earned by a brand.

We’re answering one big question in this blog: how can your brand build customer loyalty?

Build Customer Loyalty Through Brand Clarity

Brand clarity really makes a huge difference when it comes to helping customers - and future customers - feel like they should trust your business. Clarity not only helps you communicate better with your target audience, but it also helps your customers understand your brand.

How does a brand get clarity? Brand clarity comes from brand strategy! If you don’t have a brand strategy then the journey to clarity will be challenging and frustrating.

Brand strategy establishes the mission, vision and values of your brand. This will give you the foundation you need to determine how your brand will present itself to your target audience.

Brand strategy helps bring the core values and characteristics of your brand to the forefront and makes it easier to craft clear messaging.

When you know what your brand stands for, who it serves, and why it exists, you can create clear goals and clear marketing messages to reach your target audience.

So, we conclude that brand strategy leads the way to brand clarity.

Build Customer Loyalty with Brand Consistency

Consistency builds trust, and when your customers can trust you - they will stay loyal to you.

Just like in human relationships, consistency communicates many things:

• Attention to detail

• Discipline

• Value

When consumers see - and reap the benefits of - your brand being consistent it will help them trust you and be more loyal to your brand over time.

So, how can brands practice consistency?

• Visuals and Imagery

• Logos

• Colors

• Formatting

• Placement

• Products

Your brand needs to be consistent in all of these areas in order to communicate value to your customers. Your customers, and potential customers, will view it like this: If your brand takes the time to pay attention to every detail when it comes to marketing, advertising, social media, etc. then they can safely assume you will also pay attention to the details of products, customer service, and the like.

When you can prioritize brand clarity and brand consistency, you will find it is easier to build trust and loyalty with your potential and current customers. These are things that take time, and discipline. They are both easier to achieve when you have a clear brand strategy and culture in place in your business.

If you feel like your brand is not effectively building customer loyalty, it may be time to bring in an expert to guide you.

Your brand needs clarity and consistency to grow and meet its full potential!

Clarifying your brand strategy doesn't have to be overwhelming. Our brand coaching services are perfect for the small business owner who needs confidence and clarity.

Wild Ellis is a brand strategy agency for small business owners. We specialize in brand strategy, social media marketing and entrepreneur coaching.