AfriBlocks Network
Brand perception can be the difference between a growing customer base and the regression of your business. Building your brand is a process that requires careful consideration, effort, and time. There are several moving pieces when it comes to building a brand. To successfully achieve the results you desire, your brand has to tick certain boxes. One of the major checkpoints that your business has to pass is perception.
In short, brand perception refers to how your customers and other interested parties view your business. This perception is fed by the experiences that customers have with your brand. For those that do not have direct interaction with your business, their perception may be shaped by what they hear about your business or what they see through social media.
We are living in a world that is constantly connected through the internet and where business moves at a rapid pace. This rapid pace and worldwide connectivity also mean that your brand cannot afford to have any negative connotations associated with it as the number of people that may receive this negative news is high. In this piece, we will look at three things you can do to improve your brand perception.
Steps to Improving Brand Perception
- Who are you?
The first step in improving how people see your brand is to internally develop a clear understanding of your brand. Yes, you might be the one who started the business or you have been there right from the beginning but do you really understand what your brand is about? Do you have a firm grasp of your brand goals? Do you fully understand your brand voice? All these things (and more) come together to give you a comprehensive understanding of your brand.
This internal understanding of your brand, or self-perception, is important because how people view your brand starts from how you show it. For you to show your business accurately, you need to have an in-depth understanding of every facet of the business. Only then are you able to tell the world about who you are as a brand.
- Find your message and stay consistent
People’s perceptions of brands are informed by the information they receive from various sources with one of those sources being you. You want to be the source of the information people receive regarding your brand so that you are able to control your own narrative, and by extension, how people perceive your business.
To do this successfully, you need to find the message you want people to receive and stay consistent with it. Make sure that the message around your brand is clear and concise. If there is something that you want people to know about your brand, make sure that you consistently communicate it. The onus is on you to ensure that you inform the conversations regarding your brand.
- Connect with your customers
Creating genuine connections with your customer base is one of the most important parts of improving your brand perception. Positive perceptions emerge from things that people relate to or that they have an emotional connection to. Create lasting connections with your customers and they will be sure to have a positive outlook on your brand. These connections go beyond the services you provide and improve your relationship with the public.
Listening to customer feedback. Their thoughts on where you can improve your brand and paying attention to detail are some of the things you can do to create relationships with your clients. In providing the best customer experience, you inadvertently create better relationships with your clients. Subsequently, your brand will always be better for it when it is surrounded by positive relationships.
Building a positive perception around your brand is essential to the growth of your business. Make sure that you are building healthy and lasting relationships with your clients as this has a direct effect on how they perceive your brand. Remember that consistency is paramount and have a clear understanding of who you are as a brand. Adhering to these will have a positive influence on how everyone perceives your business.
