By Doug Eaddy
As an Art Director and Brand Strategist, my responsibility is not only to make a brand and its elements appealing, but make them functional. Over my career I’ve learned that a brand is seen, felt, remembered and acted upon. To do that effectively, you must apply the buyer psychology and understand how consumers flow through the buying process.
While developing the creative strategy, it is important to integrate market research to build brands that influence perception, decision making and memory recall. Here is an action plan to apply buyer psychology and actionable insights for branding to help clients build brands that are irresistible.
The decision-making process begins when customers identify a need or a problem that needs a solution. Great branding ensures that when the need arises, your brand pops into their head first.
Example: Apple doesn’t just sell products; it sells an idea that this device is most certainly old. They work off the user’s reluctance to get rid of the existing device. By focusing on new features and improvements, they create an urge to upgrade even when the old device is functioning properly.
Branding Tip: Use storytelling to illustrate an issue and then showcase your brand as the first solution. Through visuals, symbols, and commercials, let consumers understand that they would miss out on something incredibly important without your offering.
2. Information Search: Stay Unforgettable and Memorable
When a consumer tends to recognize some sort of a need, there is a motive why they begin browsing for it. In this stage, memory recall is everything. And, if your business is not already on their list of choices, there is a chance that you’ll lose to your competition.
Example: Nike’s “Just Do It” tagline has been circulating for decades, which solidifies them in the minds of the consumers. When thinking of sportswear, Nike is already at the top of the list.
Branding Tip: Create cohesive and powerful messaging around your identity so that people can remember your brand. A tactile sensation (like the special perfume of Singapore Airlines) as well as a slogan or even color can ensure that you are always at the front of the competition.
3. Evaluation of Alternatives: Marketing Your Brand As The Best Choice
At this point, buyers evaluate various alternatives. They consider the benefits, emotional attachment, and trust. If your branding does not effectively articulate why your product is the best on the market, chances are, they will choose to go with another brand.
Example: Tesla doesn’t just sell electric vehicles they offer its customers innovation and sustainable transport. By shifting itself as the clean energy powerhouse, it becomes Tesla’s preferred branded choice for customers who care about the environment.
Branding Tip: Tailor your marketing strategy with well-defined goals and a strong understanding of the demographics that are most likely to buy your product or service. Use customer testimonials and social proof alongside strong brand values to explain why people should choose your brand.
4. Easy Purchase: Make Buying a Product Effortless
Even if a customer intends to purchase something, they might face certain hurdles. As a brand, your job here is to eliminate all these hurdles and make the decision as easy as possible.
Example: Checkout steps are reduced by Amazon’s “One-Click Buy”, and by this sales increased. Budget-conscious shoppers also benefit from ALDI’s “Shop ALDI First” campaign that marketed the brand as the best option during rising living costs.
Branding Tip: Make the purchase process as effortless as possible. Create urgency with time-sensitive promotions, provide various payment methods, and eliminate reasons that might induce buyer’s remorse.
5. Post-Purchase: Keep Customers Coming Back
Right after someone buys something, the relationship formed doesn’t have to end, this is where it usually starts. The best brands create loyalty by turning buying customers into loyal fans.
Example: Customers can benefit from exclusive rewards from Starbucks’ Rewards Program, fostering frequent returns.
Branding Tip: Enrich customer relationships with targeted post-purchase contact strategies such as emails, exclusive content, loyalty programs, and more.
Understanding The Importance of Market Research for Branding
Art directors and Brand Strategists would agree that conducting thorough research is essential for effective branding effort. It lets you:
- Analyze purchasing activities and identify shoppers’ behavior
- Create appropriate branding plans informed through psychology i.e.: Buying Decision Process
- Forecast and anticipate new market opportunities as well as competition
- Test and retest the brand’s message to enhance brand engagement
Example: Louis Vuitton conducts frequent customer sentiment analysis to ensure that their brand communications continuously meet consumer expectations and shifts, while capturing customer value and engagement.
Final thoughts: Build Brands That Inspire and Influence
Effective branding strategically integrates a company’s vision with insight so powerful that a company becomes unignorable. By understanding buyer psychology along with incorporating scientific marketing, it’s possible to create brands that not only gain attention, but build loyalty and drive action.
When developing or adjusting a brand identity, combining strategic branding and scientific marketing ensures every single element from design to messaging to experience is aligned with the goal of “making the purchase feel like an obvious choice.”