You may have heard the saying “All publicity is good publicity”. You may think this is true because both good and bad publicity can bring attention to your brand and expand your reach. However, you have to note that first impressions matter and every impression after that can last. So if your brand gives out negative traits and concepts, it can be difficult to change that perception.
Building a positive brand association is important, that's why you need to know how to project that to the world. Here are five ways on how to build a positive brand association.
Branding is a key pillar in building a positive brand association. Before anything else, you need to have a strong brand identity. Meaning, you should be able to know your mission, values, personality, unique brand positioning, and voice. Be clear about these things so consumers don’t have to make their guesses.
Creating a strong branding strategy will give you a brand voice, allowing you to effectively communicate with your audience. If your brand voice is friendly, warm, and young, this will translate to the concepts, feelings, and traits your audience ties to your company.
How you nurture your community plays a big role in how they view you. You need to make sure you interact with your target audience in any way you can. Make sure that your customers can voice their concerns in an environment that is easy for them to reach out to you. Online, this includes social media, website, email, chat, and even on business review sites. Offline, this looks like phone conversations, in-person meetings, and in-store interactions.
The key takeaway here is ensuring your brand is putting its best foot forward and making sure there is proper training when it comes to customer interactions.
The brands and influencers you partner with reflect how your brand is. Consumers today expect brands to be more vocal about social and political issues. They support brands with the same values and that they think are acceptable for them. Pick influencers or celebrities who share the same values as your brand.
Once you have established your brand strategy, the next step is to identify and neutralize threats to your brand. This can mean responding to that negative comment on Yelp. You may think this is just a small thing but this is instrumental in keeping your brand’s reputation online.
We’ll never know what will happen in the future, so it is important to prepare for the worst. You need to have your own crisis management plan. This is extremely important so you can ensure your brand will not be gravely damaged and doesn’t face long-term backlash. Devise a plan with actionable steps to address the issues, resolve them quickly, and repair relationships.
Building a positive brand association is a never-ending process because your company is continuously growing. However, you’ll see the fruits of your efforts once you have established your brand to your customers.