As someone who has worked hard to establish our brand, I’ve discovered how perplexing the concept of a brand promise can be. Many business owners, like myself, have believed several prevalent beliefs that can potentially harm their company. I’ve witnessed this firsthand. When we first started, we believed these misconceptions as well, which almost ruined our reputation. Here, we’ll clear up these misconceptions and discuss four major brand promise falsehoods that could be harming your organization. Let’s get started and make things clear.
What is a Brand Promise?
A brand promise is a statement that organizations use to describe the value they provide to their customers. The brand promise can help a company build trust with its customers by guiding customer interactions. Stakeholders can also utilize the brand promise to control their expectations about the firm. Writing this statement is frequently part of a company’s branding strategy, which is used to shape its public image and interact with customers.
4 Brand Promise Myths That Can Harm Your Business
Myth #1. Your brand promise is only a marketing slogan
One of the most destructive misconceptions is that a brand promise is just a catchy slogan. This could not be further from the truth. A brand promise is more than just a tagline; it is a vow to your customers about what they may anticipate from your brand.
According to an Edelman study, 81% of consumers believe they must trust a brand before purchasing from them. Trust is not formed on slogans, but on continuous, dependable experiences. For example, we previously worked with a client in the technology business who believed their flashy phrase was sufficient.
They quickly recognized that without a genuine, practical promise, customers felt duped, resulting in a dramatic decrease in loyalty and sales.
Myth #2. One Size Fits All
Many firms believe that a single brand promise can meet the needs of all of their customers. However, different portions of your audience may value certain components of your brand.
According to Bain & Company, organizations who tailor their brand promise experience a 10-20% increase in revenue. During my time with a healthcare client, we learned from user feedback that their promise needed to be more nuanced. We witnessed a significant increase in customer satisfaction and retention after customizing their brand promise to the specific demands of various client segments.
Myth #3. Your brand promise should never change
It is a frequent misperception that once established, a brand promise should remain constant. However, your brand’s promise should evolve with the market.
According to a McKinsey analysis, organizations that change their brand promises to meet changing customer expectations and market conditions outperform their peers by a factor of two. I once worked with a retail brand that was hesitant to update their promise, thinking it might confuse their loyal customers. After much persuading, they agreed to a minor but substantial modification that aligned their promise with their new sustainable activities. What was the result? An increase in brand loyalty and a new wave of environmentally conscientious clients.
Myth #4: Brand Promise = Customer Expectations
While your brand promise establishes the tone for what customers might expect, it is not a direct reflection of their expectations. Instead, it is a strategic instrument for differentiating your brand.
According to a PwC report, 73% of consumers consider customer experience to be a significant element in their purchasing decisions, while only 49% of U.S. consumers believe organizations provide a positive customer experience. This mismatch is typically caused by a misinterpretation of the brand promise. I previously advised a startup that focused only on achieving consumer expectations while failing to create a distinctive promise that highlighted their different value. By focused on what made them unique, they were able to carve out a distinct niche and build a dedicated consumer base.
Why is a Brand Promise Important?
- It makes your company stand out: A brand promise promotes your unique product and the tangible benefits of doing business with you.
- Sets expectations: It is not a unique selling point, a catchphrase, or a set of features and benefits. It informs clients about what they may expect each time they interact with your brand. Breaking that promise will result in disappointed customers and a loss of business and income.
- Forms emotional relationships: Delivering on your promise generates repeat business and involves less time and effort than recruiting new clients. A brand promise can also drive employees to follow your goal, values, and vision, as well as attract top talent to your team.
To uncover the story behind your brand and create a compelling brand promise, you must first understand why you do what you do.
How To Create a Compelling Brand Promise?
#1. Concentrate on your audience
Your brand promise expresses your dedication to your target audience. So, to figure out what your promise should be, first determine what your audience expects from you.
It extends beyond a specific product or service; it is more about the experience you are offering.
For example, Planet Fitness’ brand promise is predicated on people’s reluctance to join a gym for fear of being judged and embarrassed. In response, the brand promises to create an environment that encourages people of all fitness levels to join the gym and feel comfortable working out.
Another purpose of your brand promise is to distinguish you from your competition. What distinguishes you? Is it your customer service, product, mission, or values? Use that to make a unique promise.
In Planet Fitness’ example, the brand did something no one else had done: it addressed the problem with the gym environment rather than its users.
Continue to make inquiries as you learn about your audience’s preferences. Do you know how knowledgeable they are about your industry? Do you understand what they need to know to make a purchase?
It’s crucial to remember that your brand promise is more than just a phrase or vow. It’s the first step in establishing a community with common beliefs. The better you understand your target audience, the more likely you are to engage them.
If you haven’t previously, create buyer personas and craft messages that will appeal to each persona.
#2. Think about your customer’s touchpoints
With your brand promise, you guarantee something to your customers.
Whether your customer is in-store, on social media, or shopping online, put yourself in their position and imagine how you want those encounters to proceed. Is there a certain feeling involved? What do they stand to gain?
For example, suppose a consumer spends a lot of time on your website but doesn’t make any purchases. Do you have any clue why they’re hesitant? If you were dealing with this consumer in person, what would you say to help them take the next step?
When you put those thoughts into words, you can create a brand promise that represents the experience you want to promote.
At this point, you may want to create three or more secondary promises for each touchpoint. You can utilize these drafts to get to your primary brand promise. This activity can also help you restrict your attention on different touchpoints and how they affect the consumer experience.
Your brand promise should be consistent across all touchpoints. So, the more time you spend looking at it from all sides, the more likely you are to build a strong brand promise.
#3. Keep it basic, original, and motivating
Your brand promise should be concise and easy to understand, with no more than one sentence. It won’t be as entertaining as a tagline, but it will undoubtedly engender trust and confidence.
Try to organize your thoughts before you begin writing. Having a clear notion of what you want to say can make writing easier.
Then, think about the words you chose. Is it necessary for your brand promise to use sophisticated or industry-specific terms? Does your brand promise to sell an offer or describe your product? Answering these questions can assist you in determining the appropriate wording for your promise.
Next, include some play in your writing. Consider your company’s culture, sensory stimulation, and details that can help your audience visualize something. This technique will most likely result in more text than you need, but it will assist you in crafting a promise in a real and empathic tone.
Then you may distill your brand promise into a single, concise statement that is useful, optimistic, and hopeful.
If you can’t express your promise in this way, you may not have properly developed your brand’s mission.
If that is the case, start by asking yourself the following questions:
- What should my consumers expect of me?
- What does my firm stand for?
- What makes us unique?
What Makes a Brand Promise Effective?
Unlike a promise made between two friends, a brand promise is a public agreement with a large audience. You are not required to give a brand promise, but if you do, it will create expectations in your community.
That is because declaring you will do something is simple, but actually doing it can be challenging. And failing to deliver on your brand promise can have a long-term impact on brand perception.
To get the most out of your brand promise, compare it to the benchmarks below.
#1. Your brand’s promise should be credible
Your brand promise should be something your company or product is qualified to provide. Customers may mistrust a brand’s genuineness if it makes excessive promises or fails to meet industry expectations.
An excellent brand promise can provide indications about your business, such as:
- Level of Professional Experience
- Understanding of complicated issues
- Character of your staff
This statement might also demonstrate your commitment to resolving a particular issue for your customers.
#2. Your brand’s promise should be unforgettable
It’s not enough to just attract attention with your brand promise. Instead, you want consumers to remember your promise and relate it to your brand and products in the long run.
Memorable brand promises elicit emotion, capture attention, and introduce the audience to something new. To generate strong emotions, consider the emotions that arise when your consumers solve an issue with your product or service. Then assess the intensity of these emotions. You can also investigate how various conditions may elicit different emotions.
This act of seeing things through your customer’s eyes might help you establish a “sticky” brand promise.
#3. Your brand promise should have a business impact
Friendship commitments are made because both parties benefit from them.
So, your brand promise should support what is most important to your company. It may transmit product superiority, increase revenue, or broaden brand impact. People in your organization should make decisions based on your brand promise.
As you develop your brand promise, consider it from the perspective of each department and team member in your firm. This can help you keep your promise to inspire your staff while also supporting the culture of your organization.
#4. Your brand’s promise should be actionable
A brand promise is an offer that a firm must maintain. This means that the promise must be something that your organization can deliver on.
When reviewing your brand promise, consider whether it includes a call to action.
- What do your customers get in return for committing to your brand?
- How can your target audience engage with your brand promise?
- What further inquiries would someone have after seeing your brand promise?
To be effective, your brand promise must be something that your stakeholders can act on or witness you acting on, as well as justify why that action is valuable. If your promise is ambiguous or stagnant, you may need to continue working.
The Importance of Templates in Creating A Strong Brand Promise
A Brand Promise Evaluation Template can help you create a compelling brand promise. This tool can assist you in carefully assessing and refining your promise, ensuring it resonates with your target audience and is consistent with your brand’s underlying values. This template was quite helpful to one of my financial clients. By breaking down the major aspects of their brand promise and connecting them with consumer feedback, they were able to create a more clear and compelling promise that increased customer engagement.
Key Takeaways
- A brand promise is more than just a slogan; it represents a commitment to your customers based on consistent and dependable experiences.
- Tailor your brand promise: Different customer groups may value different components of your brand, so tailor your promise to their specific demands.
- Evolve your brand promise: To remain relevant and competitive, your brand promise should evolve in response to changing markets and customer expectations.
- Differentiate your brand: Your brand promise should be a strategic instrument that shows what makes your brand unique, rather than just reflecting customer expectations.
Conclusion
Debunking these brand promise myths is critical for your company’s growth and long-term success. Understanding the true core of a brand promise, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach, allowing your promise to change, and acknowledging its unique function can help you build deeper, more trusted relationships with your customers. When refining your brand promise, remember to use tools like the Brand Promise Evaluation Template to guarantee alignment and efficacy.
Have you ever fallen for one of these brand promise myth, and how did it affect your business? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments section.
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