How to Build a “Tried and True” Brand
Better serve customers to become a family favorite
We all have them. The “tried and true” brands that we don’t stray from.
When you are a small business, the ultimate question is how do we get a customer to trust, invest and rely on our brand? How can we become a lifelong brand? I’m going to walk you through how to resonate with your customers and humanize your brand to become the “tried and true” company they’ll talk about for years to come.
Maintaining Consistency
The way to build a consistent customer is drive your mission into every step throughout the customer process. For example, if your company motto is along the lines of, “Ontime service, unbeatable price, professional experts,” ensure the customer can recognize those three factors throughout the service. If your employees are consistently arriving to installs late, pricing is inconsistent and your staff is not certified, it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate. The more consistently the company stands behind its mission, the higher the probability that its brand will resonate with customers.
Humanizing Your Brand
A good way to better understand your brand is to break down the qualities of a company you personally resonate with. For example, let’s say your favorite business is Mr. Right Handyman Services in Arlington, TX.
Mr. Right’s Google reviews note his dependable, on–time maintenance and outstanding customer service. The owner of Mr. Right’s showcases his commitment to his community through volunteer work with local organizations. He displays his work on social media and the clients tout his success. The long-standing business of 25 years is dedicated to each customer and will go out of the way to ensure each need is met. Instead of hurrying through one appointment to get to the next sell, Mr. Right’s will guarantee each service is complete and the customer is satisfied with the results. The company treats each customer like family, resulting in lifelong regulars.
Understanding Your Client
One of Mr. Right’s tactics of humanizing the brand is referring to each customer by name and notifying the customer each time there will be an additional cost. The thing that is distasteful to me is when a company only looks at me as a dollar sign and doesn’t keep me in the loop. If I am just a client number instead of a name, I probably will not be a recurring client.
The easiest way to understand you client is to step into their shoes. If you were to call and request a home installation of a security system, what would be your expectations of a security company? If you were ordering a surveillance system to protect your business, what type of interaction would you hope for?
The perspective of a client will not only aid you in customer service but also what you expect of your employees as well. As a customer, the level of professionalism and experience are the first two things I would l look for in any service person entering my home or business.
Ensure your staff are experts in the field and can answer any questions the client may have about the service being completed. Relay the same expertise back to the office to ensure the entire staff is onboard. The client should be able to ask any questions and have a full understanding of what they are investing their money into.
Serving, Not Selling
Mr. Right’s resonates with its clients because they have mastered how to humanize their brand. Sometimes as a company, big or small, we tend to go from one customer to the next without meeting clients needs. Set time aside to refocus on how to better serve your clients and address their needs through each step of the buying process. Remember that you are selling products/services to a person, not a number on a sheet.
Starting Today
Becoming a “tried and true” brand isn’t about flashy tricks and catch phrases, it boils down to humanizing your brand. It means a lot to make your brand worth something to your clients. Invest time to give back to your community and provide quality service each time, no matter the customer. There isn’t ever a perfect time to rethink your business ethics but taking small steps forward to better serve your business in the long run. Soon, your company will be the brand people can rely on and the family favorite. Becoming a household name isn’t easy but putting a little heart back into your business might be the secret ingredient to your company’s longevity.
