The Love Affair WIth A Brand

Have you ever thought of your relationship with a brand that you frequent? Have you ever said to yourself, "Gosh, [insert brand name here] is such an awesome brand. There when I need it, supportive and just plain awesome." You actually probably have. For some of them at least.

A Harvard Business Review article entitled To Keep Your Customers, Keep it Simple explains that all the fluffy stuff marketers do to engage with consumers is a waste of time and what consumers ultimately want is simplicity, ease of use, and a clearly defined benefit. I absolutely agree with this but I don't think this doesn't mean a brand can't establish a relationship with their customers if they adhere to that methodology.

First off, the customer journey has increasingly become more like this:

With the age of digital, consumers have a thousand more avenues to traverse - way more chances to research things and to get insights on.

What customers really want is a clearly defined path that will ultimately lead them to a purchase. I agree that complicating that path makes it hard for the user to get to that end goal. What a brand should do, according to the above article, is the following:

1. Aid navigation - minimize the number of sources the consumer can get information from (at least from the branded side). Consumers will still research and check out review sites but at least they will be constantly directed, by the brand, to the brand site (via search tactics, banner ads, etc.)
2. Build trust - make sure the consumer is able to trust in the information they've gathered about said brand. Typically users trust other users which is why most go to the reviews sections on website (i.e. Amazon). If a brand can make it so that they have brand ambassadors that focus on advice on certain products rather than touting all the specs of the product, a user is more likely to trust that information. For example, the article talks about Disney and how their mom panel aids other moms who are looking for advice on Disney trips.
3. Make it easier to weigh options - offer side by side comparisons - goes along with the first bullet. If a brand puts all the information in one place, half the research is done and streamlined, eliminating another step in the purchase decision process

As I mentioned, I do think that a brand can still build a personality and create a relationship with a consumer by keeping the above in mind (and they also need to remember to evolve with the times lest they follow the path of HMV!). By the very nature of doing the above, a consumer will be more grateful towards the brand, generate positive emotions and therefore establish their own private relationship with the brand. 

Personally, I've been grateful towards brands that make it easy for me to decide (dare I say I may even have a love affair with some?). Once they've hooked me, then they can do all the fluffy stuff they want because now I'm loyal and more likely to advocate the brand to others.

What are your thoughts?

-D