A brand is nothing more than a perception.
Dictionary.com defines perception as:
“a single unified awareness derived from sensory processes while a stimulus is present.”
In other words, your brand is not your logo and your colors on your website. Your brand is the result of how your customers experience it through the five senses.
And if you’re not approaching your marketing from a sensory perspective, you’re missing out.
How Do Customers See Your Brand?
When we talk about the visual components of your brand, most people think about the logo, the colors, and maybe even the messaging. These things are just the front-facing components your customers “see” when they visit your website.
What often goes unnoticed are the psychological factors that we subconsciously register when we are experiencing a brand. Elements like spacing, organization of the content, and specific word choices (and hundreds more) are all ways that your customer forms a perception of your brand.
The visual components, along with the messaging of your website and any other marketing materials that you produce, should all be working together to show your customer that you’re the right choice. Providing a strategic user experience, will increase visitor engagement and get them more invested in your brand.
How Do Customers Hear Your Brand?
Do you know what others are saying about your brand? One way that customers form a perception around your brand is through social proof. Good or bad, the conversations they have with their peers go a long way toward forming an opinion on whether they like you or not.
You should not make your customers work hard to find social proof. Sprinkle it everywhere you can on your site and your marketing materials. Testimonials (especially video), social media screenshots, and statistics are all great ways to let others hear about your brand without you needing to brag on yourself. Let your fans do the work!
How Do Customers Touch Your Brand?
You’re probably thinking, how in the world do you “touch” a brand? Especially, if you’re a thought leader that provides an intangible service.
The answer (which sounds even more spacey) is through atmosphere. While you can’t control the atmosphere of a visitor on your website, you should be aware of the atmosphere where your customer may be experiencing your brand.
Is your product or service best experienced in a quiet place without interruptions? Make sure to set that expectation with your marketing messages and product descriptions. Helping your customers experience your brand in the way it is intended, ensures they fall in love with it.
How Do Customers Smell Your Brand?
When you see a Starbucks logo. You immediately associate it with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. In other words, you can smell their logo.
What about products that don’t have any scent?
Your customers will still try to smell you… just in a different not-so-awkward way.
Your brand may not have a tangible fragrance that makes their mouth water, but your customers will still notice if something is a little ripe. If your brand messages are incongruent or your social media doesn’t match your website, they’ll start to think something smells funny. And they’re right.
So make sure you don’t stink by building an genuine, cohesive brand that is recognizable and consistent across all platforms.
How Do Customers Taste Your Brand?
We’re not talking about physically tasting your brand here, but we are talking about consumption. Whether you realize it or not, everyone that comes into contact with your brand is consuming it in some way. They are listening to podcast you were on, reading your blog, or liking your Instagram post,
Content marketing is a fantastic way for customers to experience your brand, but they are mostly getting little samples. What you really need to get them more engaged is to feed them a meal.
So how can a customer get a real taste for your brand and how your product or service works? One of the best ways is through a lead magnet (also called an Opt In). This is where you offer something on your website in exchange for their email address.
Your lead magnet should provide real value and substance. It’s primary function should be to help your customer in some way so they can experience your brand before buying anything.
So make sure you are serving your absolute best so they’ll come back for more!
Rethinking User Experience
If you feel personally called out by this article, we are sorry, not sorry. At Left Right Labs, our goal is to build bigger, better, more beloved brands, and we want to make sure your brand is amazing!
The perception of your brand has a very tangible impact on your profit. So if you’re worried that your brand isn’t as fresh as it could be, click here and book a call with us. We’ll give you a taste of what we can do for you and your business.