10 Things That The Best Brands Do Well

Branding is more than just great graphic design, a pretty logo, and some compelling words. The best brands out there know exactly what they are selling, how to promote it to their target audience, and can tell a good story. They also listen well and are willing to admit publicly when they were wrong.

Here are 10 things that the best brands do well:

The Best Brands Know How to Listen

Good brands are open and approachable, ready to learn from their customers, and make this clear in how they interact at all levels of the company. Additionally, they usually have a strong internal culture of good listening as well. This includes paying attention to employees and making the right adjustments at the right time. When people call with complaints they genuinely hear and respond well.

Great Brands are Authentic

Authenticity is the key to building trust and credibility, which are important for any brand. Authentic brands are genuine, transparent, and honest with their customers, never hiding behind smoke and mirrors or making promises they can’t keep. When they mess up in a big way, they take responsibility which only breeds more trust in the future.

The Best Brands Make it Easy to Buy

The best brands make it easy to buy. They have a consistent online experience, and they’re clear about how you can engage with them. They also make it simple for customers to get in touch with them if necessary, find what they’re looking for on the website, and buy what they want from the site or app.

If there’s an issue with an order, the company will work with you to resolve it quickly so that things go smoothly from start to finish. They also use the best tools in the industry to facilitate these transactions. For instance, more CPG businesses are using the RIVIR platform to improve the ways that they sell. They are able to do more on the back end to make the customer experience on the front end easier.

The Best Brand Stories are Inclusive

Inclusive brands are more likely to be successful because they’re able to attract and retain customers from all walks of life. They don’t just speak to one group. Their products and brand vibe are universally approachable. Because of this, they are able to do well in their business. While no brand can sell to everyone, the best brands consider multiple demographics in their messaging and approach.

The Best Brands use a Single, Simple Message

First, the message should be about the user, not the product. It should focus on how users feel when they use it rather than the action needed to buy it. This is why Apple doesn’t say “Come to our store and buy an iPhone.” It’s why brands like Target say things like “Expect more, pay less.” They are giving the feeling of getting high quality for a good price. This simple message is universal across all the products they sell.

Great Brands Can Win Over Influencers

More companies are using influencers to help sell their products. These great brands know that influencers are a great way to reach new audiences, and can help you grow your company. They have loyal followings, which means they have the potential to introduce you to people who wouldn’t otherwise be interested in what you offer. But winning over an influencer takes more than just a good product. You need to sell to them the idea that their following will appreciate the product recommendations because of how helpful it is to them. It needs to be a win-win proposition.

The Best Brands Communicate Regularly

While sending out 50 tweets a day is not necessary, you do need to communicate well and do it often. You can share what’s going on behind the scenes with videos. Another option is to showcase people who successfully used your product. You can even talk about challenges faced by your company throughout the years. When people hear these stories, they connect more easily with your brand.

Conclusion

The best brands are the ones that know how to listen, they’re authentic, they make it easy for customers to buy from them, they tell great stories, and use them wisely in their marketing efforts.  They are inclusive to ensure that no one feels intentionally left out.