Recently, a coworker told me a story about how a potential client actually made the following statement:
Honestly, it’s not like people have any emotional connection to the brands they buy. Why should I care about this?
Really?
Think about the brands you buy. What device do you listen to music on? What kind of shoes do you wear? What kind of car do you drive? In this society, we’re all brand ambassadors. And the most highly regarded brands are the ones who value the emotional connection they foster with customers.
The goal of any business is to turn random strangers into raging fans. Creating brand evangelists doesn’t just aid customer retention, it bolsters your referral marketing. For instance, I love Nike SHOX sneakers. They’re incredibly comfortable, and let’s be honest, I feel faster when I wear them. Not only am I a consistent Nike shoe customer, but I recommend the shoes to my friends. So what’s my value to Nike? It certainly adds up to more than a few pairs of sneakers. And because Nike understands the value of that relationship, they strengthen it with special discounts and services that go above and beyond my expectations.
Business owners should all view they’re brand and business the same way. Customers are not just logically tied to buying decisions, there is a strong emotional appeal behind every purchase.
As a web design firm in Indianapolis we spend a lot of time looking at websites. The most effective websites are created when brands realize they have an obligation to create an emotional connection with consumers. Business owners who understand this typically have a clearer vision of what they want they’re marketing to accomplish and a better road map for how to get there.
What are you doing to create and maintain emotional connections with your customers?