In the competitive world of business, the concept of a ‘brand promise’ is something that is thrown around a lot. With many brands within an industry competing for the same pool of customers, being able to communicate your point of difference and establish what your brand stands for in the mind of consumers is essential in order to keep up. This is where your brand promise comes in.

What is a brand promise?

A brand promise is a declaration of assurance, letting consumers know what they can expect from every brand experience. It is a short and simple statement that defines the scope of a brand, encapsulating the product category, quality, and organizational values.

A brand promise should be at the core of any business and should define the purpose and fundamental values that a brand holds to captivate the minds of and create connections with consumers. The more work and effort a business commits to fulfilling its promise, the stronger the perceived value the consumer has for the brand.

How do you create an impactful brand promise?

When it comes to creating a powerful brand promise, there are 5 foundations to consider:

1. Simple: An effective brand promise should be no longer than a sentence or two and should express the catchiness of a tagline as well as capture the essence of the company’s goals, values, and mission. Your brand promise is what makes consumers opt for your brand, so don’t overcomplicate it.
2. Credible: Your brand promise and the customer experience you deliver should align, as this will optimize the credibility of your brand. Without this alignment, consumers’ value for your brand will be compromised.
3. Different: It is important that your brand promise is unique and different from your competitors because similarities can cause confusion, make it hard to distinguish your brand, and even drive consumers to your competitors. You need to communicate what makes your company different beyond just the features of your product and express the experience your brand is willing to provide.
4. Memorable: Your brand needs to be memorable enough that your employees are able to embrace and implement that promise during all customer interactions. It also needs to be memorable in the minds of consumers, as they won’t opt for a brand they don’t know or remember when they are in a buying situation.
5. Inspiring: Having an inspiring brand promise is crucial in developing a connection with your audience that is compelling enough to convince them to take favorable action. While you want to be as inspiring as possible, you also must be realistic and not promise what you can’t deliver.

Why is having a brand promise important?

1. Delivers your brand purpose: A brand promise communicates a consistent and definite brand purpose to both consumers and employees. This ensures clarity about what the brand aims to deliver and ensures everyone is working to fulfill the same promise and expectations.
2. Builds trust with consumers: Having a realistic yet compelling brand promise helps to establish trust with your consumers, which in turn helps to drive the success of your brand. After all, a brand’s success comes down to the connection it has with its consumers. Customers who can trust and find relevance with a brand are more likely to opt for and even promote that brand.
3. Demonstrates credibility and professionalism: Being able to deliver on your brand promise establishes credibility and displays professionalism to consumers. If a brand is unable to deliver on its promise, this makes consumers believe that the brand is unprofessional and unwilling.
4. Creates a consistent customer experience: By ensuring that your brand promise and the customer experience you deliver match, you ensure that your consumers receive a cohesive and wholesome brand experience from start to finish.
5. Inspires motivation within your team: A strong brand promise has the power to drive new attitudes and behaviors among employees as it provides a consumer-targeted perspective for what your brand stands for, giving your team something to align with and get behind.

A brand promise instills a sense of trust and relatability between a brand and its customers. It has the power to directly impact the reputation of a company, with the level of value a consumer hold towards the brand being dependent on whether or not they were delivered what was promised. That is why creating a brand promise that you can consistently fulfill is important for your business’ success.

So, what is your brand promise? Do you have one? Does it meet all of the foundations listed above? If you need help crafting or refining your brand promise, get in touch with me today!