Discussions on brand strategy in member-based organizations are often focused on management delivering familiar comforts and what has always been/worked and not on moving the needle in today’s rapidly evolving competitive landscape. There’s a world of difference between a bland offer (living in the sea of sameness) and delivering a distinctive brand offer which effectively positions your brand unlike any other in your product category.
Building a leading brand that people love and respect requires an effort more than simply creating a cool logo, tagline, ad campaigns, website, social media. Rather, it’s about creating, inventing an authentic ‘brand voice’ and delivering a remarkable emotional experience that laser-beam aligns with your brand voice. An experience that resonates big-time, emotionally connects and embraces a meaningful conversation.
I recently delivered a keynote at a golf industry summit. I shared with managers of golf and country clubs the paramount importance to take a deep-dive exploration and identify what it is you’re really selling. I asked them to think about ‘What’s your WOW factor’? It’s not the 18 holes of golf, pro shop apparel, grille room dining, member-guest events, golf lessons. Every golf and country club offers this. It’s what’s expected when you drive up the long and winding road to the clubhouse. That’s rational. Not emotional. Each club’s brand essence is known for something much more grand!
Successful brands understand that customer intimacy isn’t the aspiration, it’s the foundation. The sum of the customer experiences creates your brand. How are you choreographing your customer experience to ensure your staff believes in it and your customers revel in it? What are you doing to establish an authentic point of difference between your brand and others in your space? How are you enhancing loyalty and increasing the average lifetime value of your customers? Are you delivering on your brand promise day-after-day to build trust and create legions of raving fans?
Remember: It’s one thing to attract new customers like fishing; but it’s another to retain, nurture, and grow your most valuable customer relationships.
