There is no denying the intense competition present in numerous industries. As such, your brand’s longevity depends heavily on generating and maintaining meaningful and authentic relationships with its target audience. Forrester Research suggests that emotion is the biggest driver of loyalty for businesses, with 86% of patrons with high emotional engagement saying that they always think of brands they are loyal to when they need something. Please consider these points if you wish to learn more about building deep emotional connections with your target consumers.
- Interact and engage with them on social media
It is no secret that many modern-day consumers will likely recommend a business to other people if they have experienced excellent service on social media. You are likely to find your customers and prospective clients on these platforms, so it would be best to use them to build deeper connections with your audience in the best ways. For instance, you can tailor your content for every social media platform to appeal to your audience. Also, consider using surveys and polls on these sites to obtain critical feedback that can help you be a better brand.
Furthermore, you can use social listening tools to conduct sentiment analysis so you can discover how people feel about your brand online. Additionally, liking, sharing, and responding to comments is an effective way to engage your audience on social media and make them feel special. Finally, authenticity is vital on social media, so ensure that your brand is genuine, reliable, and relatable to create lasting emotional connections with target clientele.
- Select the right brand archetype
The concept of brand archetypes draws from the Jungian idea of categorising people into different character groups and explaining their actions and outlook on life. Twelve brand archetypes present a brand’s voice, behaviour, and values as a distinct personality that the right target audience can relate to. Consequently, selecting the right archetype for your brand is vital because your choice will determine how prospective clients perceive your brand and the best and effective ways to communicate to them. For instance, you can brand your business as a Creator if you offer products that unearth the creativity in others to turn your vision of an ideal world into reality.
However, this would require innovation and authenticity at every point in your business operations, from the products themselves to how you express your brand messaging. Similarly, the rebel brand archetype will work best for your company if it seeks to challenge the prevailing social order through radical ideas, products, and services. This archetype will deepen your connection with a target audience that has lost faith in traditional options because they will be attracted to your revolutionary energy. However, you will need to genuinely break the norm and be innovative with your solutions to sustain a rebel brand archetype, so keep this in mind.
- Leverage storytelling
The 2015 Brand Storytelling Report revealed that 79% of UK adults want companies to tell stories as part of their marketing. Humans are social creatures who want to be part of a larger group, so storytelling is a particularly effective tool you can use to build emotional connections with people. However, you need to understand your target audience’s pain points to craft a relevant narrative if you want to tell a great story. Thankfully, there is no shortage of opportunities to create and share stories. For instance, you can tell a story detailing your journey to establishing your brand, why you are passionate about your products or services, and what your team has come to value along the line.
Then, you can develop your story to present your products or services as the perfect solution to your target consumers’ needs. Also, storytelling in marketing transcends things that have happened already, so you can tell stories about the future with your target consumers as the main characters. This way, they can imagine using your products or services and benefitting from them. Finally, use excellent videos and images to bring stories that people can identify with to life.
- Use user-generated content
Research indicates that millennials trust user-generated content 50% more than original content generated by companies. Consequently, it is prudent to use user-generated content to create deeper connections with target clients. Consumers place significant value on user-generated content because it offers a unique opportunity to obtain authentic insights about your brand from others just like them. You can start an efficient user-generated content campaign by selecting your platform wisely. For instance, Pinterest works best for infographics, while Facebook is perfect for videos and curated content. Then, create powerful hashtags that enable you to categorise your content, appeal to a broader audience, and get more customers.
For instance, Coca-Cola’s #ShareaCoke campaign, one of the most effective hashtag efforts of all time, landed Coca-Cola approximately 25 million new followers on Facebook alone. Additionally, you can run a contest to obtain several user-generated content submissions to spark many conversations about your brand. Finally, offer rewards to your most engaged fans so they can enjoy the social recognition they deserve. These rewards will entice prospective clients to partner with your brand besides making your loyal fans feel more connected to your company.
- Sponsor charities and events that resonate with your audience
Today’s consumer wants to do business with brands that share their values only. Consequently, brands that support values that are important to their target consumers send a strong message of concern about their interest in things that matter to their audience. As such, these businesses bond with their customers and target audience on a deeply emotional level, increasing their chances of getting long-term, loyal fans who will drive sustained business success. You can simply make an effort to know your audience better to identify the values and issues that matter to them.
To achieve this, you can track their engagement on your social media pages to see what topics they talk about the most. Additionally, you can use polls and surveys to get them to share their opinions and thoughts on critical issues so you can take action. For instance, if your target clients are highly eco-conscious, donations to environmental charities will go a long way to convert them into loyal customers and brand advocates. Similarly, your brand can show up at local events, sponsor local sports teams, and donate to communities in crisis to build deeper connections with your prospective clients.
- Play on nostalgia
Many marketing experts agree that nostalgia is a powerful tool all consumer brands can use to connect with their target clientele on a deeper level, so keep this in mind. Indeed, a nostalgia marketing study revealed that nostalgic feelings make people value cash less and spend more freely. Products from the past are typically practical nostalgic triggers that you can reintroduce in a unique way to connect with customers. Pokémon Go’s rise as an international phenomenon overnight is an excellent example of using technology to make your target audience nostalgic and create deeper emotional connections.
The augmented reality platform brought to life the numerous creatures that many millennials grew up knowing through cartoons and trading cards. Therefore, by offering a new way to interact with memories, it is no surprise that the app became an instant hit and one of the most successful mobile games of all time. Besides reinventing products from the past, you can also remind clients of simpler times, celebrate anniversary milestones, and post vintage products on social media to evoke nostalgia.
