How do you boost your brand reputation?

In my experience, beyond tools and interviews (which are great ways to understand them better) you need to get in their behaviours, habits and attitudes, capture the things through observations and different consumer engagements (like shopper & consumers safaris) so you can complement what is conscious to them to some elements that are relevant but operate within their System 1 thinking. Neuroscience have made quite interesting progress in this space.

To delve a little deeper into audience understanding, I would like to suggest that ethnographic research is a critical tool to consider. Ethnographic research involves immersing oneself in the culture and environment of a particular group of people in order to gain a deeper understanding of their beliefs, values, and practices. It can help to identify the shared values and beliefs that underlie an audience's behavior. By understanding what is important to an audience, marketers can develop messages that resonate with them on a deeper level. It can also help to uncover the social norms and customs that govern an audience's behavior which can be used to create marketing campaigns, that are more likely to be accepted and adopted.

I think, all the top brands are not because of the brand names, but of the emotion they build with the customer throughout the time. I think, the crucial thing is trust, authenticity and reliability. simply as a customer I want to involve with the trusted and reliable brand. brand need to focus on delivering quality products/services, exceptional customer support in the same time they need to have a great storytelling resonating with the customer emotions. Being honest and transparent in communication, maintaining a consistent brand image. Continuously improving offerings based on feedback and market trends. Building a strong brand reputation takes time and genuine effort, but it's worth it for gaining trust and loyalty from customers.

We started by conducting customer research into our target demographic - therapists. We asked open ended questions like: - What's a typical day in the life for you? - What's the one pain point in your job you'd like to be alleviated? - Waving a magic wand what's the one thing you'd like help with? This reset our product roadmap, brand strategy and tone of voice, but we knew we were building a product that was solving a problem for the target audience. Without the research we wouldn't have a product or a business! We also conduct user research on an ongoing basis, because side conversations naturally happen and you're getting more back from the customer. Know the customer inside out; habits, fears and behaviours.

Knowing your audience - or tribe - is fundamental in brand building. Dive deeper than demographics, understand their needs, desires, pain points, and how your brand provides solutions. Engage in active listening, via social media comments, surveys, or customer interactions. Pay attention to their language, tone, and sentiments. Craft your brand messaging to resonate with them, solve their problems, and align with their values. Create content that educates, entertains, or inspires them. By knowing your audience intimately, you not only speak directly to them, but you become a brand that truly understands and values them. This is the way.

Quality of product or service is of the utmost importance when it comes to delivering on your promise. In today's competitive marketplace, businesses must provide quality products and services to succeed. Quality leads to customer satisfaction, increased sales, and a good reputation. It also reduces costs and improves employee morale. To provide quality, businesses must set high standards, invest in quality, focus on continuous improvement, listen to customers, empower employees, and celebrate success. By following these tips, businesses can build a strong reputation that will attract new customers and retain existing ones.

27 years into retail & consulting has taught me just one thing - if brands are not what they promise to deliver (USP / CBV), it’s a question of time that consumers understand this & move out. Negative brand imagery and Word of Mouth spreads faster than a positive one ! Great brands have fallen either because they over promised, or wanted the fun run ! Brand resilience can be factored only when and if the Brand Promise is kept & consumer faith upheld. My perspective on Branding is to deliver the Promise in the quadrant that’s identified - be it price, quality, demography, or pure features.

Your brand promise is a commitment to your customers. Consistently delivering on this promise builds trust and loyalty. Whether it's the quality of your product, the efficiency of your service, or the reliability of your support, strive to meet or exceed expectations. Apple, for instance, stands out as a brand that consistently delivers on its promise of quality and innovation, fostering a loyal customer base.

We gave away a free version of our mental health product for free to a beta group of users and gathered feedback, iterated on the feedback which drove the product strategy. We will always do this, so we know we're on the right path for the customer, not ourselves. Building brand reputation takes a long time, it's an emotional decision for the buyer, they need to know we have something that has value to them and we have to prove we can do it better and faster than the competition - what better way to bring customer loyalty than to give it for free to your first customers. I know I'd want that in a new product - the best example of this right now is ChatGPT. Massive hugely valuable product that I'd pay for anyway.

Delivering on brand promises isn't a one-off event, it's a consistent journey. Start by understanding your tribe: their needs, values, and expectations. Ensure that these insights inform your brand promise. Then, align every touchpoint - product design, customer service, marketing messages - to this promise. Transparency is key. Be open about your capabilities and limitations to manage expectations. Remember, it's better to underpromise and overdeliver. Lastly, monitor feedback and adjust accordingly. Delivering on your brand promises is a potent way to earn trust and loyalty.

I think, all the top brands are not because of the brand names, but of the emotion they build with the customer throughout the time. I think, the crucial thing is trust, authenticity and reliability. simply as a customer I want to involve with the trusted and reliable brand. brand need to focus on delivering quality products/services, exceptional customer support as well as a great storytelling resonating with the customer emotions. Being honest and transparent in communication, maintaining a consistent brand image. Continuously improving offerings based on feedback and market trends. Building a strong brand reputation takes time and genuine effort, but it's worth it for gaining trust and loyalty from customers.

When a brand stays true to its core identity and communicates transparently, it resonates with customers on a deeper level. Authenticity breeds credibility, emotional connections and drives lasting brand advocacy. Authenticity is prized above all else, brands that prioritise it in their management approach will stand out, thrive, and build solid relationships with their target market.

These are critical in an era when customers have access to information at the speed of a tweet. Brands cannot afford to bury their heads in the sand because whether they engage or not, their stories will be told and shared by others. Authenticity and transparency are now more important than ever in building customer trust in your brand’s reputation. Transparency means information is available and shared at the right time, and authenticity means the company is acting with integrity. Mistakes, conflicts of interest and individual errors within organisations will occur but when these happen, the values of authenticity and transparency can save the brand. It’s better to start now.

People buy into stories not products. I have a storytelling background so being true to our authentic selves is a brand value I wanted to bring to every interaction with anyone who engages with us, either in person, online or on social media. We love to give real customers the chance to share their stories too, so we're always seeking the feedback from users we can use in testimonials or brand stories. We're planning a podcast series about mental health and startup life, to share more about our brand and who we are behind our online profile. Real stories always win the hearts and minds of any user experience.

Intentionality within a brand is so essential and must come before authenticity, standing as a purposeful directedness towards authenticity. This could be informing and engaging your audience on who you are as a brand while also seeking out who they THINK you are.

I would encourage more SMEs to leverage social proof. Big brands do it well with reviews, well-produced client testimonial videos, influencer endorsement etc. SMEs can tap into this key influence pillar by incorporating a way to collect social proof into their processes. - Leverage social media profiles to collect reviews. E.g Google My Business or Facebook Reviews - Incentivise customers to give an authentic text or video testimonial. - Set it as an expectation and don’t leave it to chance. Customers can still choose not to give one, but make it easy for them to do so.

Leveraging social proof is all about showcasing how your tribe engages with and benefits from your brand. Start by collecting testimonials, reviews, or case studies from your satisfied customers. Use these endorsements across your platforms - on your website, social media, email newsletters. Consider featuring your high-profile clients or collaborators to boost your credibility. Also, don't overlook user-generated content, like social media posts or blog articles about your brand. And remember, authenticity is key. Only share genuine experiences. Leverage social proof as an honest mirror reflecting your brand's value to the tribe.

We always ask for feedback - good and bad - so we can improve the product experience and share the high points of user interaction. We hope that helps other therapists to see we can help them, but it can only come from the voice of the customer. Word of mouth marketing is the only compoundable form of marketing, that eventually pays for all other types of customer acquisitions (if you're successful!). Get the customer to give a review if they've had a positive interaction, even if it's not product related, allow the customer to speak about the brand, team and experience, that's what people buy into ultimately.

User-generated-content on your brand is always the most robust proof of your brand reputation. As the world is evolving, and influencer-led marketing is increasingly becoming table-stakes, getting real feedback and authentic content from consumers becomes highly relevant to make your brand stand out. To the recommendations above I would also add strategies to create the right conditions for consumers to share their views and creativity. The more the brand takes a step back and works as an enabler and not the hero, the more consumers will own, shape and project the brand into new spaces and opportunities. Creating online brand communities is a great way to achieve this.

On getting genuine reviews, one strategy that has always helped SMEs I've worked with is to not leave a long gap between purchases before asking for reviews.

Creating People Data Center (a practice that Unilever started a few years ago) to proactively monitor content and brand sentiment is a great shortcut to maintain this ecosystem closer the brand teams and the brand decision making.

We're a small startup, but we track everything, so we know we're interacting with customers, and dealing with questions or queries in a timely manner - not one week after the message is received, but within hours. We live in such a fast paced world, that if we don't reply quickly, that person's not going to have a positive brand experience. Even if you can't solve the problem quickly for the user, making sure they're heard and you're doing something with their feedback means more to them. Having a dedicated email for support and feedback and person who is highly empathetic to customer needs is key to successful brand interactions.

Online reviews and feedback significantly impact brand perception. Monitor platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and industry-specific review sites. Respond professionally to negative feedback and address concerns promptly. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. Proactively managing your online reputation can turn critics into brand advocates.

When people give feedback, whether it's good or not-so-great, responding quickly and professionally makes a real difference. It shows you're on top of things and care about what people think. Jumping into online chats doesn't just protect your brand it also opens doors to build real connections.

At the end of the day, all the steps above should create the right conditions to create and craft the next innovation. This is ultimately the opportunity to bring all to life by creating products that make consumers life better and more enjoyable. Innovation as a process has evolved and it now presents the unique opportunity to co-create with them and invite them to have a more active role in the process, this also creates engagement and authenticity. We have done this by initially co-creating with influencers and then directly involving consumer online communities and consumer-led workshop. The outcome of this initiatives have been products delivering better results and bring more effective in solving consumer problems.

Apple is a good example when I think of innovative companies and how they apply innovation to boost brand reputation. Apple is a successful brand because they are committed to continuous innovation. They invest heavily in research and development, have a culture of innovation, and are not afraid to take risks. This has led to the development of revolutionary products such as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Apple's products are also known for their sleek, minimalist design and their marketing campaigns are often seen as being ahead of the curve. By constantly innovating, Apple is able to stay ahead of the competition and ensure that they remain relevant to consumers and with relevance comes growth in profitability and market value.

The market is ever-evolving, and so are customer expectations. Stay ahead of the curve by embracing innovation. Whether it's adopting new technologies, updating your product line, or refining your customer service approach, be open to change. Brands that adapt and innovate are seen as industry leaders, enhancing their reputation.

Customers appreciate brands that not only meet their current needs but also anticipate and address future expectations. Continuous improvement and adaptation signal a commitment to staying relevant and providing ongoing value :)

Brands are beyond packaging & advertisements. Brands are built on performance, quality, and values it carries or represent. Products or Services come and Go but Brands come and Grow. It grows into the psyche of a person and fortifies the perception of it. Brands are built with well crafted strategy and it grows due to its Brand Promise and not merely its Brand Perception

Give back in the communities where you do business, whether on a local, national or global scale. Depending on your company size, employees can volunteer in communities or you can set up a stewardship arm with corporate giving or a foundation to provide support to causes aligned to the company’s purpose, or its customers’ interests. Even small businesses can give back a percentage of sales to causes close to customers’ hearts.