By Samuel Timothy, Vice President of OneIMS.coman inbound marketing agency and co-founder of Clickx.io, the digital marketing intelligence platform.
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In business, your word is everything. Your reputation rests on the promises you make and keep. That’s why it’s so important to have a brand promise, a clear and concise statement that communicates what your brand stands for and what customers can expect when they do business with you.
In this article, I’ll discuss the importance of a brand promise and provide a framework for creating one that’s effective.
What is a brand promise?
Think of your brand promise as a contract between you and your customers. It’s a commitment you make to them, and it’s something they should be able to hold you accountable for. If you don’t keep your promise, they are within their rights to take their business elsewhere.
Why is this important?
Your brand promise is the foundation of your marketing efforts. It’s the one thing you always want to keep front and center when crafting your message and building relationships with customers. For what? Because everything you do must serve to fulfill this promise.
A strong brand promise tells customers what they can expect from your product or service. It’s a statement of what makes you different and better than the competition. And it’s a way to build trust with potential and current customers.
Your brand promise should be something that inspires trust and sets expectations. It must be ambitious but also achievable. In other words, it should be something that motivates people to do business with you, something they can look forward to and rely on.
Building Blocks of a Strong Brand Promise
When crafting a powerful brand promise, remember to make it “MUSIC” to your customers’ ears: memorable, unique, simple, inspiring and believable.
Memorable
A powerful brand promise should be memorable. It should be catchy and easy to remember so customers can think of you when they need what you offer. A forgettable brand promise is essentially worthless, so think about making yours truly unforgettable. Brainstorm with your team and come up with something creative that will stick in people’s minds long after they hear it.
Unique
Your brand promise should set you apart from your competition and give customers a reason to choose you. If it’s the same as everyone else, customers will have no reason to remember you or care about you. So ask yourself: what makes your brand special? What can you offer that no one else can? Answering these questions will help you develop a strong and unique brand promise.
Simple
Your brand promise should be simple and easy to understand. It must be clear and concise, without ambiguity or room for interpretation. A complicated or convoluted brand promise will only confuse your customers and prevent them from remembering what you do. Be brief, sweet and specific.
inspiring
A powerful brand promise should motivate customers to take action and make them want to be part of your story. A dull brand promise will leave customers uninterested, and it’s the kiss of death for any business. So ask yourself: what does your brand stand for? What higher purpose does it serve? When you can answer these questions, you will have the basis for your ideas.
Credible
Finally, your brand promise must be credible. It must be based on reality and supported by data. Customers won’t hesitate to choose another company if they don’t believe you can deliver on your promise. Make sure your brand promise is something you can actually deliver on; otherwise, you are setting yourself up for failure.
How to create your brand promise
Your customers have unique problems they need help solving – and if you want to differentiate yourself, make sure your brand promise is crafted with that in mind. To create a brand promise that stands out, make sure it speaks directly to your customer’s needs.
How are you doing that? By tackling small problems head-on and promising solutions that will help them get rid of their problems completely. This will create long-term relationships while stimulating business growth.
It’s all about precision. Identify exactly what kind of problem you’re solving, then nail it every time.
Step 1: Define your customer
Before jumping into developing a solution, clarify who you are helping. Who is the customer? Is it an individual or an organization, and what is their role in the hiring decision-making process for your services? What kind of problems will you solve by working with them? Being too wide will not suffice. Focus carefully on specific segments that have challenged you to know exactly how to completely solve their problems.
Step 2: Define the problem you are solving
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes to fully understand their problems. With your team, brainstorm solutions that address these unique issues. Then, carefully examine each item to determine if it is truly relevant to that customer and to all of the ideal customers you want to attract. Finally, briefly explain in detail how exactly you will solve these problems if they work with you.
Step 3: Articulate your promise
If you want to make an impression on potential customers, don’t just dance around the benefits of your products and services. Speak directly and confidently about the value of working with your company. It’s important to give your prospects a clear answer about how their problems will be solved or their expectations met so you can capture attention in all the right ways.
Overall, a brand promise is a commitment a company makes to its customers, and it is the foundation of its marketing efforts. Remember: your brand promise is a contract with your customers. Achieving this is crucial to building trust and long-term relationships.
