Brands are like people.
Here's how awesome people create awesome brands, and why it's hard work, but worth it.
Think of brands, as people. Think of a brand you love - a brand you're loyal to. Apple? Always buying their iPhone over Android? (If you're not, what are you thinking?? ;)) BMW for their 'ultimate driving experience'? Why are you loyal to them? What is the basis for your trust?
I'll bet that it's a complicated mix of things. Things like speed of service, the quality of the product, the mission of the company, the beliefs of the founders, the knowledge of their staff - all of which ultimately gives you a 'feeling'. A feeling like you know the brand, a feeling that you trust their intentions and their product. It's down to trust.
Being trustworthy
How do you become trustworthy? I'm sure you already know; sticking to your word, following through on your promises, being there when you're needed, and most importantly, very rarely if ever breaking it.
Building trust for your brand is not any more or less complicated than developing trust for yourself in others. The little things in business add up and build trust, just like they do in relationships with people. So ask yourself the question, how are the services and products in my industry falling short? Where can I, as a founder, as a brand, build trust by committing to being better than my competition, and better than the 'industry standard'. So it sounds like consistency, predictability and value are major elements of building trust. One great way to do this with your brand is to make sure you have one of the core fundamentals of brand creation, values. If you're unfamiliar with the fundamentals then you should definitely check them out. By developing your brand's values, you're able to create a company-wide set of beliefs that will make your brand consistent and dependable. Build trust long enough, and you build loyalty!
Loyalty prevails.
Loyalty is the golden goose with the golden eggs that make you rich beyond your wildest dreams in the land of business. I know I know, I've taken that to the extreme, but if you can build a loyal customer base, more than simply a transactional one, your business will prosper. The loyal customers are the ones that feel so strongly towards your brand that they're the early adopters of your new products, and they're the first to give you great referrals.
A loyal person is the exact same, always sharing how great you are, and always jumping on board. They'll even defend you if someone tries to shed a negative light on you. So, go from trust to loyalty. Focus on developing a set of values that your brand adheres to at all times, and build loyalty.
