How do you get people—devoted consumers who are about to break money-spending records—to commit to long-term brand love? Well, it’s not that different from how you’d land a lifetime of bliss with your better half. Break out that Whitman’s sampler and your electric guitar power ballad, because we’re all about to fall in love.
Make a good impression
Thanks to the non-stop surveillance of social media, nobody really goes into a blind date blind anymore. Which is also true of customers doing their due diligence before saying “I do” to a new brand. (Yes, this is the exact same thing.) Since social media goes a long way in shaping perception, appear as your best self with witty content and user-generated posts that prove you already make a great team.
Profess your feelings
Love is in the air! There’s no better time to declare your heart’s desire—or get engaged in a Primanti Bros. restaurant—so don’t be afraid to invest in the sentiment, whether you’re an average Joe or an all-knowing search engine.
All year round, remember to dig deep and lean into emotion to tell the love stories we know well: lifelong partnerships, best friendships, and die-hard Bon Jovi fandom.
Make it official
Whether going public on Facebook or teaming up with another brand, there’s something to be said for an Official Partnership. See: the union between Starbucks and Match.com for the latter’s “Meet at Starbucks” feature, which allowed users to send a direct invite to a coffee date.
Everyone loves a defined relationship, and there’s nothing like a doubly-promoted event to get the job done. In our deeply connected digital lifestyles, experiential marketing drives interest, awareness, visitation, and caffeine-fueled love connections.
In short, building a brand relationship is just like finding your once-in-a-lifetime soulmate—but a billion times over. Remember: there are plenty of fish in the sea. And with the right marketing, you can reel them all in.
Have an ever-lasting weekend, everybody!
– Your together-forever friends at Brokaw