5 Reasons Branding Is Important To Customers

1 Brand Familiarity

The more consistent and persistent you are, the more people begin to recognize you. The more people recognize you, the more they trust you. Trust leads to purchasing and promoting.

When making a purchasing decision, 77% of customers say it’s because of the brand name according to Crowdspring. 

2 Brands Add Value

Think of when you’re in the grocery store selecting which ketchup to purchase for an upcoming camping trip. There are two types currently in your hands: Heinz and a no-name brand. We can almost guarantee you’ll select Heinz. 

Why is this the case? Why do customers pay more than a dollar extra when ultimately the two taste the same? Brand recognition.  

Once a brand is well known enough, they can convince people they are better and therefore increase their value. 

In the ketchup example, many people truly think Heinz tastes better, that it’s of better quality. We have one word for you why this is the case: branding.

3 Brands Save a Customer’s Time

Time is the most valuable thing we have as people and with something so sacred, we don’t want to waste it. 

Once customers know who you are, once they trust you and know they can rely on you, they will choose you without hesitation – ultimately saving time. 

For example, let’s say a couple is in search of a new vehicle because they are about to have a child. They know that a Subaru is about having a car that grows with you. Through their messaging, visuals, tone, etc… Subaru has positioned itself as a brand that families rely on. Their trust is earned by the company. Rather than shop around from brand to brand, they already know who they want to work with. The time they spend shopping will be a fraction of what it would be if it weren’t for the brand and its familiarity. 

4 Brands Give Customers a Sense of Identity

Brands add to a person’s identity, they allow people to express themselves. 

Think of someone who identifies as an outdoorsy adventurer, this individual will most likely choose a Mountain Equipment Co-op product – a company who has branded themselves as the go-to store for all your outdoor needs. 

5 Brands Inspire Emotion

According to Marketing Week, customers prefer a brand that exhibits personal value through emotional appeals. 

People want to feel something when interacting with brands. When you inspire emotion out of your customers through your branding, whether it’s happiness, excitement, laughter, etc., you increase the chances of them choosing to purchase whatever you’re selling. 

Think of Coca-Cola and their Brotherly Love commercial. After watching, customers feel the love between the two brothers, they feel happy that the older brother stood up for his younger sibling. The Coca-Cola brand inspired customers to feel something and that is one of the most powerful things a company can do. 

To develop a brand strategy that covers the five reasons above, it takes commitment and consistency. 

“It’s about getting down to the core truth of who you are and what you are selling, and then communicating it through the brand,” says Colley.