Building a brand: how to build an authentic brand that truly connects

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Developing a genuine connection with your audience necessitates an intimate comprehension of their identities, their unique needs, and their deeply-held values. Achieving this kind of authentic bond isn't merely about crafting a catchy tagline or designing visually appealing products and services. Instead, it's about resonating with your audience on a profound emotional level, establishing a brand that speaks directly to their hearts and souls. It's about reflecting their dreams, hopes, and aspirations in your brand identity. In this article, we will delve into the key steps that you must undertake to build an authentic brand. A brand that not only reflects your company's ethos but also genuinely connects and resonates with your audience.

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If consumers have everything they need, there’s nothing left to buy except stuff that they want. And the reason they buy stuff they want is because of the way it makes them feel. — Seth Godin, All Marketers are Liars

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Synopsis

This article aims to accomplish the following:

Guiding businesses on building an authentic brand that connects emotionally with the target audience.
Emphasizing the importance of creating a brand that elicits genuine emotional connections, regardless of audience size.
Equipping businesses with knowledge on building a brand from shared empathy, emotions, and experiences, not just marketing strategies.

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The power of brand authenticity

Embracing brand authenticity is a game-changer in today's business landscape. As digital connectivity empowers savvy consumers, they gravitate towards brands that embody transparency, genuineness, and unwavering values. In a nutshell, brand authenticity revolves around keeping promises, showing consistent actions, and fostering open, honest engagement with your audience. This approach cultivates trust, nurtures customer loyalty, and paves the way for remarkable business results. So, it's no wonder that we champion brand authenticity as a vital component in every company's playbook, be it a fresh new startup or a global household name.

Building an authentic relationship with your audience goes beyond merely expressing your brand's mission - it demands uniform messaging across all interfaces. Your brand's purpose, values, and narrative should be transparent. Showcase your operations and decisions, making sure to both rejoice in wins and confront challenges head-on. Authentic brands leverage their vulnerabilities as a unique opportunity to bring a human touch to their brand, nurturing richer relationships with their audience. They also place emphasis on reciprocal communication. Engage directly with your customers via social media platforms or community events - this demonstrates your appreciation for their opinions and aligns your brand with their expectations. Over time, the authenticity of your brand becomes a powerful tool for cultivating sustainable customer relationships.

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How to build an authentic brand

Building an authentic brand starts with understanding that today's digital landscape is overflowing with information, choices, and competition, which in turn makes brand authenticity a crucial differentiator. In fact studies indicate that a profound 90% of millennials view authenticity as a key factor when choosing brands to support. This sentiment isn't exclusive to millennials either, with over 80% of Gen Xers and baby boomers echoing similar feelings. This importance placed on authenticity means brands have to go beyond simply having a quality product or service. It's about providing a genuine, credible, trustworthy, and authentic experience to consumers who are becoming more and more research-oriented and tech-savvy. So what is an authentic brand, well, in a nutshell it's one that is transparent, consistent in its messaging, and honest, remaining true to its business values.

To build brand authenticity, it's vital to be consistent with the identity and values of your brand, this ensures that any conveyed messaging aligns with what your brand stands for. It's equally crucial to walk it like you talk it by delivering on your brand's promises and exemplifying honesty, this creates an atmosphere of dependability, and provides a sense of security for consumers choosing to support and invest in your business. Being real and engaging with customers is also a part of this process. This entails determining your business's purpose and ensuring that it resonates with all the actions you take, as customers often seek brands that show a clear commitment to something they can believe in with you. Lastly, don't just inform your customers, but develop a two-way dialogue with them by being where they can reach out to you, sharing news, seeking feedback, looking for pain points, answering and asking questions, and genuinely valuing their opinions.

With the foundational understanding down, let's now look at some do’s and don’ts.

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Authenticity in marketing

It should come as no surprise that a crucial thing for businesses to understand is the importance of authentic marketing and how to effectively implement it. So let's delve into some do's and don'ts of leveraging authenticity in your brand marketing, and how to navigate it all while staying true to your brand story.

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Authentic marketing do's

Own your mistakes: Mistakes are unavoidable, but how you handle them can make a big difference in how your brand is perceived. Be upfront and transparent when something goes wrong, and show your audience that you've learned from the experience.
Embrace marketing automation: Automated marketing tools can be incredibly effective in reaching the right audiences at the right times. However, remember to maintain a balance between automation and personal touch. Some of the tools we utilize include Acumbamail (Email and SMS Marketing), Publer + Ocoya (Social Media Management) and Albato + Zapier (Everything Automation) to name a few.
Find a balance between personalization and trust: Customers expect personalized marketing, but they also want to know their data is being used transparently and responsibly. Striking the right balance is crucial. For example, offer personalization options to let your customers choose their level of personalization. And, provide value. Ultimately, personalization should provide value to the customer. If a customer feels that the personalized experience is beneficial, they are likely to trust your brand more. Ensure that your personalization strategies are customer-centric and focused on improving the customer experience.
Stay true to your brand story: Consistency in messaging across all platforms helps to establish and maintain your brand's identity. Make sure everyone who communicates on behalf of your brand understands and adheres to your brand story.
Embrace customer testimonials: Showcasing customer testimonials and case studies can be a powerful way to build trust and credibility. Consider featuring customers in various formats such as videos, podcasts, and live events.

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Authentic marketing don'ts

Don't have a disingenuous digital marketing strategy: Authenticity is key in digital marketing. Avoid trying too hard to fit in or using popular trends that don't align with your brand's voice and values.
Don't sideline your values: Customers expect brands to stand by their values. Make sure your company values are clear and visible.
Don't rely on attention-seeking digital marketing strategies at the cost of meaningful interactions: While it's important to stand out, your marketing strategy should focus on delivering meaningful and relevant content to your customers.
Don't be afraid to experiment: Channels like Instagram or TikTok can be valuable for your digital marketing strategy. However, be prepared to learn as you go and adjust your strategy based on what works best for your brand and audience¹.

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Benefits of building an authentic brand

By building a brand that genuinely reflects your company's core values and mission, not only are you able to create strong emotional connections with your target audience, leading to increased customer satisfaction, trust, and ultimately, long-term growth, but it can also bring numerous benefits:

Differentiation in crowded markets: Authenticity in your brand's message can help you stand out from others who are building businesses without this characteristic. By individualizing yourself from the competition in a way that’s relevant to your target customers, you can create brand advocates, establishing credibility and ultimately elevating your status in the market.
Industry influence and positive social impact: Sharing your story through your own words and being truly vulnerable allows those who follow you inside your world. Becoming open in this way through your messaging and actions gives you the ability to more concretely establish the position and perception of your brand in the minds and hearts of your audience while also opening the door to make meaningful and positive social impact.
Brand loyalty and advocacy: Authenticity is key to building a community based around those who like your brand's purpose and who align with your vision, mission, and values. It also contributes to brand loyalty, as customers will take note of a well-differentiated and authentic brand, to the extent that they are willing to pay more for a product or service that leverages its unique beliefs and perspective to offer a better overall brand experience.
Attract and retain top talent: A strong brand that is known for its values, culture, and mission can be a major draw for job seekers and collaborators who are looking for more than just a paycheck. They want to work for a company that aligns with their own values and beliefs, and a brand that is authentic and transparent creates a sense of pride and ownership among brand partners and employees alike. When people feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves, they are more likely to be
invested in the success of the company. This can lead to increased productivity, better collaboration, and a stronger sense of belonging.
Defined sense of purpose and direction for your business: Having a brand that aligns with your mission and values will create more opportunities for you as your business expands. Being fully authentic with your brand allows you to align yourself with a service or product you may want to offer to your audience, providing a clear sense of direction for your business and a strong signal for growth and forward momentum.

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The wrap up

In conclusion, let me reiterate the immense value and significance of building an authentic brand that truly connects with your audience. This isn't merely a task, it's a journey worth embarking on, a voyage that will transform your business and its relationship with its patrons.

We have to understand that an authentic brand is not simply about deploying marketing strategies and tactics in a mechanical manner – it goes beyond that. It's about fostering genuine connections that resonate deeply with your audience. It's about encapsulating shared emotions and creating relatable experiences that strike a chord with people. Authenticity in branding is about understanding the desires, aspirations, and values of your customers and mirroring them in your brand's messaging and actions.

Your brand should be envisioned as a bridge, a conduit that brings people together. A platform where a community can thrive, bound together by shared beliefs and common goals. This, in essence, is the power of an authentic brand. It's not merely about selling a product or a service, but rather about creating a shared identity, a collective sense of belonging.

Watch as this approach breathes new life into your business, catalyzing its growth and success. As you build this authentic connection, you'll see your business flourish, not just in terms of revenue, but also in customer loyalty, brand reputation, and overall market presence. This is the transformative power of an authentic brand, and it's a journey well worth undertaking.