By Samuel Thimothy, VP at OneIMS.com, an 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 is built on the promises you make and keep. That’s why it’s so important to have a brand promise—a clear, 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 significance of a brand promise and provide a framework for creating one that is effective.
What is a brand promise?
Think of your brand promise as a contract between you and your customers. It’s a commitment that you make to them, and it’s something that they should be able to hold you accountable for. If you’re not delivering on your promise, they’re within their rights to take their business elsewhere.
Why is it important?
Your brand promise is the foundation of your marketing efforts. It’s the one thing that you always want to keep front and center as you craft your messaging and build relationships with customers. Why? Because everything you do should be in service of delivering on that promise.
A strong brand promise tells customers what they can expect from your products or services. It’s a declaration of what makes you different and better than the competition. And it’s a way to build trust with potential and current customers alike.
Your brand promise should be something that inspires confidence and sets expectations. It should be aspirational but also achievable. In other words, it should be something that gets people excited about doing business with you—something that they can look forward to and count 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 credible.
Memorable
A powerful brand promise must be memorable. It should be catchy and easy to recall so that customers can think of you when they need what you offer. A forgettable brand promise is essentially worthless, so put some thought into making yours truly unforgettable. Brainstorm with your team and come up with something creative that will stick in people’s minds long after they’ve heard it.
Unique
Your brand promise should set you apart from your competitors and give customers a reason to choose you. If it is the same as everyone else’s, customers will have no reason to remember or care about you. So ask yourself—what makes your brand special? What can you offer that nobody else can? Answering these questions will help you develop a strong, unique brand promise.
Simple
Your brand promise should be simple and easy to understand. It should be clear and concise, without any ambiguity or room for interpretation. A complicated or convoluted brand promise will only confuse your customers and make it difficult for them to remember what you’re all about. Keep it short, sweet and to the point.
Inspiring
A powerful brand promise should motivate customers to take action and make them want to be a part of your story. An uninspiring brand promise will leave customers feeling indifferent, and that’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’ll have the foundation for your ideas.
Credible
Last but not least, your brand promise must be credible. It should be based on reality and backed up by data. Customers will not hesitate to choose another business if they do not trust that you can fulfill your promise. Make sure your brand promise is something you can actually deliver on; otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
How To Create Your Brand Promise
Your clients 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 standout brand promise, make sure it speaks directly to your customer’s needs.
How do you do that? By taking on small problems head-on and promising solutions that help them get rid of their issues completely. This will create long-term relationships while boosting business growth in turn.
It’s all about precision. Narrow down exactly what kind of problem you solve—then nail it every time.
Step 1: Defining Your Customer
Before jumping into crafting a solution, get clear on who you are helping. Who is the customer? Is it an individual or an organization, and what’s their role in the decision-making process of hiring for your services? What kind of problems will you solve by working with them? Being too broad won’t do. Focus intently on specific segments that have challenged you to know exactly how to solve their problems completely.
Step 2: Defining What Problem You Solve
Put yourself in the shoes of your customer to truly understand their problems. Together with your team, brainstorm solutions that address these unique issues. Then review each item carefully to determine if it’s really relevant for this customer—and for all ideal customers you want to attract. Finally, explain in brief detail how exactly you’ll solve these issues if they work with you.
Step 3: Articulating 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 is important to give a clear answer to your prospects on how their problems will be solved or expectations met so you can capture attention in all the right ways.
All in all, a brand promise is a commitment that a company makes to its customers, and it’s the foundation of its marketing efforts. Remember: Your brand promise is a contract with your customers. It’s crucial to deliver on it to build trust and long-term relationships.
