Reilly Newman | A proper brand is focused on depth and creating an experience.
The irony is that most business owners feel they need to be perpetually widening their services, appeal, and “brand” to all so they can be the everything to everyone. That does mean more revenue and growth, right?
When it comes to your brand, we are very much dealing with emotions and perceptions. Now, how do we evoke select emotions and tailor these perceptions? Touchpoints.
Let’s get physical: Touchpoints
As mentioned above, brands are dependent on the consumer’s emotions and perceptions. (One could conclude one forms the other and vice versa)
To bring life to this brand in a tangible manner, strategy and design are your essentials. By creatively using these two tools, you can begin to assist the consumer to navigate which emotions they feel with your brand forming the perception.
After a solid strategy, a professional logo and identity system is your first step in the right direction. As any good chef knows, people eat with their eyes first.
Once you have your identity system, your touchpoints (the star of our article today) are ready for action. But what are touchpoints? I personally view touchpoints as any physical or digital point of interaction between a brand and consumer that is a controlled variable.
(i.e. stationery, website, materials, employees, attire, emails, customer service, packaging, social, interior spaces/storefront, communication, colors, imagery, etc.)
Note: Yes, this list of touchpoints can keep growing and vary depending on your business and industry. However, if you have a strong Brand Identity System and Brand Strategy in place then these will come very naturally for the brand as it expands, engages, and evolves.
Based on what we’ve covered you can see that your strategy for your brand is equally important as the implementation (touchpoints). While one without the other will leave your business as simply just a business offering services. Not a brand that people can remember, reflect, and refer.
To this point, when your strategy and touchpoints are working in harmony with one another, your brand will naturally dig to deeper depths and drive stronger results based on the emotional dynamics and perception of your brand.
