Growing up in a home with three siblings, our parents would repeatedly remind us that “words matter”. I can still hear my mother empathetically call out “be nice – words matter” after a twisted game of “dissing” each other turned into tears. From a very young age, I realized words can foster feelings in you – sometimes so strong that they can manifest in the strangest actions.
Similarly, in the world of service and product delivery – words matter. They can foster feelings in your audience that could either lead to losing or closing the deal. The way you choose to represent your brand will have a profound impact on the action it leads your audience to take. If you get it just right, you’ll gain a customer. If you don’t hit the right spot, you lose a potential sale.
I am sure the words “I’m loving it” or “Just do it” immediately spark a sense of familiarity even though we may find ourselves on the opposite side of the world. Popular brands like McDonalds and Nike have established themselves worldwide using impactful and meaningful slogans such as these. You may not even like McDonalds, or own a pair of Nike shoes – regardless, I can bet you are familiar with their catchphrases. These brands have had such a profound impact, that it seems they might never fail. And even when they do – there are millions of brand-loyal customers ready to purchase some more food and apparel.
How does one appeal to a potential audience? Is there a secret recipe? Well… Yes, there is. The formula is quite simple and relies heavily on the way you present your brand. What you say about your company PLUS the number of times you say it PLUS the experience that follows are all the building blocks of what makes your brand stand out from your competition. The cycle continues when those who have been exposed to your brand start having something to say about their experience.
Let’s look at an example of a Clothing Store. I am willing to bet that if Clothing Store A advertises and sells their jackets at a 25% promotion and Clothing Store B sells the same jacket at a 15% promotion. Store A will most likely make more sales. The reason why is that what they said in their advertisement seems more attractive and is more likely to foster the feeling of want/need because the price is better justified. Now of course, if the jackets at Store A are absolute rubbish and from previous experience you know they shrink in the wash, you’re probably going to be more comfortable to lose out on the larger promotion as long as you can justify the price with a better quality purchase. You can start to see why what you say is important, right? Because that brings the traffic to your storefront. However, the experience that follows will determine whether or not the customer is willing to exchange their money.
What you say, absolutely matters. It gets the customer through the door or in a shopping cart online. It’s the foundation needed to have the opportunity to give your audience a good or bad experience. You may not always know what to say, and that could negatively impact your brand – you could be losing out on many opportunities because your brand is not being effectively represented or exposed. At Studio98 we have got you covered, we have worked with business owners just like you, who were unsure of what to say, who to even say it to… With our expert Business Consulting services, we can help you navigate the tricky waters of brand exposure and – experience.
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