The Secret to Building Brand Authenticity and Why It Matters
Today’s consumers are increasingly cynical and suspicious of brands and their intentions. Companies across all industries have tried to meet the growing demands for transparency and honesty, but not all meet the mark. The ones that do typically lean into something even more important: authenticity.
For most customers, brand authenticity means reliability, honesty and realness in all aspects of the company’s operations—not just the customer-facing ones. Customers are more likely to consider a brand authentic if they can connect with them on an emotional level and develop trust.
Establishing brand authenticity not only helps you connect with customers, but it helps you retain them for the long term. Modern customers want to learn and buy from authentic, personal brands they feel connected to. If companies can achieve this standard and maintain it, they have a better chance of solidifying customers for life.
In order to build brand authenticity, you’ll want to create a foundation of trust and openness. Here’s how.
• Share human stories: Whether you’re a one-person operation or a company of hundreds, your brand has real people behind it. Show these people off to your customers! Sharing human stories—whether it’s highlighting a rock-star employee or giving behind-the-scenes looks at your company culture—humanizes your brand and lets your audience connect with something other than a profit-focused business idea.
• Give your brand personality: Every company should establish a brand voice that’s used across all customer-facing platforms. This voice should be tailored to the audience and their needs, but it should also make sense for your brand. Customers can see through a brand’s attempt to be something it’s not. Make sure the personality and voice you give your brand represents your brand’s culture, ideals and mission.
• Use the brand for good: Businesses don’t exist in a vacuum. One of the best things companies can do is give back to the communities that support them, whether locally or globally. Show your customers how your brand is committed to doing good in the world and prove that you actually perform. Make sure you explain why your brand is associated with the organization or movement you’re contributing to and how it aligns with your values.
• Adhere to your values: Most companies outline their mission and values on their websites, but not all of them stay true to them. Tell customers what your brand values are, why they are what they are and how you plan to adhere to them as your company grows and changes. Every move your brand makes should adhere to those values. This proves your commitment to honoring your company’s roots and the trust your customers have placed in you.
• Be consistent: Nothing deters a customer faster than a brand that’s inconsistent with its voice, content, quality and service. When customers become accustomed to a brand performing a certain way, they expect it to stay that way. Sudden changes or off-brand moments can be jarring and degrade the trust they have in your company. By staying consistent, you can prove that your brand is acting authentically.
It’s not always easy to prove authenticity to customers, but staying true to your company’s roots and telling your stories can help. At The Design Kollective, we aim to work with you to create, cultivate and inspire through visual story-telling and help you build a foundation of trust. Say hello to learn more!
