TIPS FOR PERSONALIZING THE BRAND EXPERIENCE OF YOUR TARGET MARKET

TIPS FOR PERSONALIZING THE BRAND EXPERIENCE OF YOUR TARGET MARKET

Photo by Karen Marie Jenkins of Karen Marie Images & Branding

 The connection, emotion or the vibe people feel when they come in contact with you and or your business is so important. There is an old saying that one of my former colleagues use to keep her on her email salutation:
        “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
 When it comes to your business, there are a number of channels that can be used to ‘touch’ your target market with a unique and personal brand experience.
 Marketing experts define brand experience in a verb phrase: “A brand experience is about designing a sensory experience that brings a person into a lasting and meaningful relationship with a brand.  The phrase implies that this is an action that must be taken, and it also implies there is an ongoing process in which customer experience is always evolving. As business owners, we want to give our customers great experiences when they are in our presence and when interacting with our products and services. This requires work and a consistent effort to provide a good experience that goes beyond the basic ‘generic good treatment.’ People want sensory, meaningful and unique experiences. They want stories and visuals that enhance and delight their senses, especially their visual senses.
 This requires that as business owners we build a brand that utilizes our social media platforms and marketing strategies in such a way that truly engages and captivates our customers’ experience. You may ask how. Below are a few tips.

1. Become very familiar with your target market. You can’t be everything to everyone. Clearly define your target market. It shouldn’t just be people who want to get pictures, or anyone who has a dream, or anyone who wants to cook or eat. Get specific about who your customer is by building a profile on paper or at least in your mind. How old are your customers? And think about why you have selected this age group? Where do they live? Do they live in apartments, homes? Have they had homes and retired and have downsized? That may be important because they may have disposable income? Think about the reasons. Also, something that many people do not consider. What are your customer base’s characteristics and lifestyle behaviors? For example, do they like to read or not? Do they have hobbies/interests? Do those hobbies conflict with being a good customer for you or does their lifestyle choices enhance that possibility? What kind of personality does your customer base have? The latter is also very important light to shine on. If you have a more corporate type of clients, but your business model is not equipped to handle corporate clients, it is important to note that it may be difficult for you to tailor their brand experience under your business model.

Get to know your customer profile below the surface and create a brand experience that will keep them coming back for additional services that you create to improve their time with you. 

 2. People are intrigued with backstories! They want to know who you are. The old saying: What’s your story Morning Glory, couldn’t be truer. What is your story? And is it transparent in your bio, about page, in your images? And how did you land or become passionate about your industry? Why are these questions are important because people want to know how your story and experience can bring something unique and meaningful to their lives. Were you in debt, did you have low self-esteem, and now you are a coach, speaker or have a bustling business. People are looking for a connection before they depart with their money. They are not just buying a product or service they are buying an experience that they expect from your brand, but remember you first must attract their visual attention. People are looking for people who have similar experiences. And they are interested in going on that journey with you even if that means becoming a fan/follower or becoming a customer which is ultimately what you want. Customers want and need ongoing experiences. 

For example, Starbucks is the channel or location whether it be their live coffee shop or their social media sites where people have great experiences. People love good experiences that engage them in things that are similar to who they are and where they want to go. Remember the 90’s sitcom, Cheers: “where people know your name.” Fast forward… go to your local Starbucks and you will see a particular profile of customers. An article, I just read emphasized my intuitive observation: “Humans have an intrinsic need to make connections with one another. We like to hang with our tribes” Cheers was a sitcom manufactured place where “locals meet to drink, relax and socialize, and everybody knows your name.”

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As previously mentioned, brand experience involves more than a feeling; it also involves a visual recognition (logo and colors) with an expected promise of what you are going to get when you engage. Brand colors matter. If you walked into Starbucks and they changed from the environmental green to bright red and white colors, it would affect the visual brand promise and experience we expect. It would get people talking and wondering what is going on with the brand. People want consistent sensory experiences from their brands. Now that you know who your customer is, tailor their experience and keep it consistent.

3. Personalize your customer’s visual brand experience. Videos and images are key to customer brand experience.  In fact, visuals are still the top trending strategy for 2018. Poor visuals can communicate the wrong message to the right market; you don’t want this to happen. Photographic images should not overpowerful your brand message, but it should complement, and enhance the written message. Use fonts and graphics that don’t deter from the image and message and that are professionally appropriate. If you are not sure, hire someone to give you support in creating graphics for your images. Also, remember your customer demographic base, and use images that are relevant to them. This is where using irrelevant stock images are a problem when they don’t line up to your customer base, and your customers will know. Take time to curate your visual brand by selecting the right images that align with your brand message, brand persona, and brand core values. Be a caretaker to your visual brand, and use a Style Guide to keep your visual brand and brand message on track and to ensure that you are communicating a consistent message. Again, if you don’t have a style guide, hire someone to create one for you. Visuals are a strong communication tool that can enhance, destroy or confuse your brand. Make sure all touch points of your customer’s brand experience is memorable, comfortable and tailored to keep them coming back.

Well, that is enough for now! For a complimentary brand audit, contact me at http://www.karenmarieimages.com/contact.html