What’s love got to do with it?
How to make people fall in love with your brand
In today’s saturated market, consumers are demanding so much more from brands due to the stark abundance of choice that constantly surrounds them. They’re looking to build a genuine emotional connection to a brand and everything it stands for. They don’t just want to like a brand; they want to fall in love with it.
Think of the likes of Apple, Disney or LEGO. These brands are held very close to the hearts of so many all over the world. Why? Because they truly pull out the stops when it comes to engagement and in turn, have successfully earned themselves committed brand fans and soaring profits.
Did you know that according to research, the connection we make with brands can be as deep and emotional as the relationships we have with other people? [1]. Therefore, the transformational power of brand love should not be underestimated and must be an important focus in business strategies and marketing campaigns.
A deep kind of brand lovin’
Consumers (especially millennials and Gen Z) don’t just want your product or service; they expect something deeper than that. They want to connect with a brand that is relevant and relatable that presents itself in a human and personal way. Just like a loving relationship, consumers (or more precisely, fans) seek an emotional engagement that consists of loyalty, honesty, reliability, longevity, and commitment. So, it’s up to you to make your brand one that a consumer would be proud to associate with and stand strongly next to.
Good relationships depend on clear communication and transparency, and strong brands are no different. Millennials in particular have grown up in a world where they have learnt not to take everything at face value (thanks to the world wide web) and really value transparency and honesty when it comes to falling in love with a brand. They are far more aware of marketing and advertising methods than previous generations and because of this commercial awareness, they are sceptics by nature. They can see right through baseline marketing strategies and if they feel like they’re being ‘marketed to’, they are likely to be turned off. So, in today’s day and age, brand loyalty can no longer be assumed; it has to be earned.
Why have a customer when you can have a fan?
Most brands nowadays would prefer to have a ‘fan base’ over a ‘customer base’. Why? Because fans ‘love’ a brand whereas customers ‘like’ a brand. Customers need to be lured and convinced into buying a certain product or service. However, by comparison, fans come along by their own accord because they have an emotional connection to a brand and its offering. While customers give you money, fans give you their hearts. Brand fans will share your message with all those around them – and we know how powerful a personal recommendation can be.
Ultimately, brand awareness alone won’t drive sales. Brand love is what drives desire, loyalty and advocacy. You can’t buy love, you have to earn it. We all know that branding and advertising create awareness, but it is a live brand ‘experience’ that creates a tangible, real emotional connection. If you’ve ever been in love before, you’ll know that there is nothing more tangible than that feeling of love. A typical buyer journey would look something like awareness-engagement-action but it should go awareness-engagement-love-action. There needs to be something meaningful in-between.
A bit of self-love
It’s no use having a brand and expecting people to fall in love with it when you haven’t fallen in love with it yourself. As a direct reflection of you, your brand reflects your own hard work and passion that you have poured into your business. You do so much work behind the scenes to make your business successful so before anyone can love your brand you need to give it the respect and acknowledge it truly deserves with a bit of self-love.
By creating and designing a strong brand that you adore, you’ll ultimately attract more interest. This is because, generally speaking, people will happily pay more for a brand that they perceive to be of high quality. Put this in perspective. How often have you turned something down because it looked cheap? If your product or service is of a high standard and quality, then your brand must reflect that. In return, you’ll attract the people that appreciate you most who pride themselves on investing in high quality products.
Having a brand that you love that is built with your vision and mission in mind will allow you room to grow. Built on looking towards the future, if you love your brand you will be inspired to be more and to do more.
A love for a lifetime
People who love your brand tend to be evangelical. They couldn’t think more highly of you and are happy to shout about you from the rooftops – this kind of love is highly influential to their peer group. As the top influencer for purchase decision making, word of mouth is crucial for brand success, so building a fan base should remain a top priority.
Being liked is an easy feat. Being loved is another thing altogether. Today’s marketers need to forge meaningful relationships with their fans built on trust, loyalty, honesty and reciprocal commitment. But with a significant number of consumers believing that brands’ motivations are founded on self-centred desires to increase profits, there’s still a long way to go.
Looking to create a brand that will make people fall in love? Let’s Chat →
