A brand is a connection. A trusting relationship between the audience and provider. Brands that make people feel a strong, positive emotional connection are going to gain loyal consumers in the long run, which brings a competitive advantage. However, when there is no emotional connection, customers and audience members have no incentive to be loyal to the brand.

There are many ways to guarantee your brand is more than a simple logo or company. Here are a couple of steps to increase the connection value of your brand. 

Share your story: 

People connect emotionally when they relate to the story of your brand. If you have a story of how your brand started, share it with your audience. Be open and honest with your customer. They will respect you so much more when they feel as though they connect with you. 

Strategy: 

Brands should have a consistent view of how they want to further their progress. A company’s goals may change along the way, but it is essential to have some initial guidance and an idea of what you want to represent your brand. Brands should maintain a strong vision for their company to make it easier for audiences to follow. 

Consistency:

Focused, consistent branding makes it clear to customers what they can expect from you. Companies that are named the most successful brands have consistent branding. This consistency across the customer experience is what establishes and forms trust. Trust produces sales and encourages loyal, repeat customers.

These essential elements provide a foundation for building a successful brand. If you are struggling to realize if your brand incorporates all these elements, ask yourself these questions:  Do we have a unified understanding of what our brand represents? Are we presenting it consistently? Is our community growing and becoming more and more engaged? Is our content reinforcing our brand or diluting it?

Remember that establishing your brand is more than just the visual elements. Although those aspects are very important to a company’s image, branding is all about initiating trust between your producer and its consumers.