The 7-Step Brand Promise Formula That Gets You Noticed
A brand promise is a public commitment by a company to provide a level of quality, reliability, and safety that exceeds the industry's standards. This means you know exactly what to expect if you buy a specific product.
Most brands promise a lot more than they deliver. They may promise that their products will save time or make your life easier. But how much do they deliver? Most brands don't deliver much at all. And yet, people often pay big money to see what's in it for them. So, how can you create a brand promise to get your brand noticed? I'm going to show you how.
How do you stand out from the crowd in a world where everyone is trying to sell you something? How do you get noticed? How do you get people to notice you?
The answer is quite simple: you tell people why they should care about you. You create a brand promise. You put your message out there. You make people care.
But how do you do that?
Table of Contents
What Is A Brand Promise?
A brand promise is a promise that a company makes to its consumers. Brands make promises to sell their products because they are motivated by profit. On the other hand, consumers care about promises made because they trust the brand.
Brands make promises about their products, and companies must uphold those promises to be trusted again and again.
What Does It Mean To Be Trustworthy?
Trust is an emotional connection that we feel for someone or something. It is an expectation of honesty, integrity, reliability, and safety.
For example, a brand promises to deliver an experience or product to help its customers succeed. If the brand doesn't live up to that promise, the consumer loses trust in the brand and its promises.
If a brand is not trustworthy, it will lose the consumers' trust over time and, as a result, their business.
How Can Brands Build Trust?
As consumers, we are influenced by brand promises in two ways: First, we expect a specific type of quality and service from a brand, and second, we form opinions of a brand based on our personal experiences with the company and its products.
To build trust with consumers, brands need to fulfil their promises and follow through on their commitments. To gain consumers' trust, brands should:
- Be transparent about their decisions
- Ensure their promises are genuine
- Communicate their goals and values to stakeholders, including employees and consumers
- Provide high-quality products and services
- Be truthful and honest
What Are The Most Popular Brand Promises?
According to a 2021 study by The NPD Group, one of the biggest brand promises is quality. In the last year alone, quality promises it increased by 11%, which is nearly one of every five brand promises.
Quality promises are also one of the most popular among younger consumers. 44% of 18-24-year-olds agree that they choose a brand based on quality, compared to only 29% of 25-34-year-olds.
Another promise that young consumers value highly is price. According to the study, 31% of 18-24-year-olds expect to pay a lower price for a product or service, and 38% of 25-34 year-olds are willing to pay a higher price for a well-designed product or service with high-quality materials.
When it comes to promises made by the beauty and personal care brands, the study found that the promise of a great-smelling product or service is the most popular among consumers.
The study also revealed that many consumers value promises that brands make about how their products will benefit them, like improving appearance, reducing stress, and supporting health and fitness.
What Do You Think About Promises?
The NPD study showed that people prefer to trust brands that stand behind their promises. However, it's not surprising that brand promises are still on the rise. The study suggests that as technology advances, brands find it harder to compete on price alone. They have to offer high-quality products and services to remain competitive.
This is why people prefer brands that deliver on their promises. In turn, consumers gain more trust in those brands and continue to purchase their products.
The best way to ensure that people continue to trust your brand and keep making promises is to build brand trust in the first place. Here are some tips to help you build trust in your brand:
Ask yourself why you want to build brand trust.
If you're trying to convince consumers to buy your brand, your goal should be to build trust in your brand.
For example, if you are selling a smartphone that provides an experience that helps you relax, be more productive, and get organised, then your brand promise should include helping your customers enjoy their lives more.
Don't just promise the best; make it clear what you mean.
A brand promise is more than a simple statement. If your brand promise is unclear, your customers may wonder what they are purchasing when they buy your product.
For example, the brand promise of a hypoallergenic mattress and 100% organic could be communicated in many different ways.
Instead of saying, “we'll make you sleep better,” you can say “, we'll provide you with a healthier sleeping environment,” “we'll keep you free from dust mites,” or “we'll help you sleep like a baby.”
Ensure your brand promise aligns with your company's goals and values.
If your brand promise aligns with your company's core values, your customers are likelier to believe that your company cares about them.
If your brand promise is not in line with your company's core values, your consumers may lose trust in your brand and your company's bottom line.
To be clear, you don't need to spend much money to ensure your brand is aligned with your company's values.
Who Needs A Brand Promise?
In general, brand promises don't last long, so your chances of being able to rely on them in the future are slim. However, in some cases, the concept makes sense.
For instance, the company behind the Tide detergent brand promise is confident that they will always produce high-quality detergent. The company's slogan is: “Tide, Always Pure, Always Dependable.”
But even the best brands need to evolve. The brand promise of Tide should include the fact that the company is constantly researching ways to improve its detergents and other products. If they discover a better way to clean, they should be open about it.
How Do I Know If I Can Trust A Brand Promise?
In terms of trustworthiness, there are some good questions to ask.
- Does the brand promise match what the company has done in the past?
- Do other companies make similar claims?
- Do they offer anything in return for your faith?
- What would happen if the brand promise didn't come true?
What Does It Mean to Be Reliable?
When we talk about a brand's reliability, we mean that it has a good track record of producing results over time. A brand with a reliable product or service will likely stick with it.
A brand with a trustworthy product is unlikely to make claims that conflict with what it does. If it says it will always do X, it's likely to deliver.
The same goes for a brand that shows good customer service. If it makes a claim, it should back it up by doing what it says.
The difference between reliability and trustworthiness is subtle but crucial. A brand can promise to be reliable and then go out of business. Or it can promise to be trustworthy and then act in ways that are contrary to its promises.
Brand promises should align with your brand's image and personality. And if it's not true, there should be consequences.
The Importance of a Brand Promise
There's a reason why many brands, including the ones listed below, have a promise. It's an easy way to communicate with your customers.
If your company has a reputation for delivering on its promises, it's easier to trust. Your customers know it won't make empty promises and won't back down if something goes wrong.
It's also a great way to create a culture of excellence. If your employees know that the company is committed to keeping its promises, they will likely make the same commitments.
The Promise of Tide
Tide is the world's most popular laundry detergent, so it's no surprise that the company's promise of Tide is about as reliable as it gets. Its brand promise states: “Tide. Always Pure. Always Dependable.”
The fact that Tide consistently delivers on its promise helps to keep its reputation strong. When people see the Tide logo on their clothes, it shows them that the brand has a reputation for providing excellent cleaning results.
The promise of Tide is an example of a promise that aligns with its image. It's honest and straightforward, and it's a commitment to quality.
What is the Best Brand Promise?
While Tide's promise is excellent, it's not the only one worth considering. Here are some other examples of compelling brand promises:
- T-Mobile: “Unlimited Talk, Text & Data”
- Geico: “15 minutes or less can save you 15% or more on car insurance.”
- BMW: “The Ultimate Driving Machine”
- Apple: “Think Different”
- Marriott: “Quiet luxury. Crafted experiences. Intuitive service.”
- Visa: “Worldwide Acceptance”
- Walmart: “Save money. Live better.”
As you can see, the list is long. There's a brand promise for everyone. Choose the one that fits your company best and aligns with your image.
How To Build A Brand Promise That Stands Out
If you've got a product or service worth standing out for, you must make sure your brand promise stands out.
Promise is an element you include in every marketing campaign or social media post. It's why you exist and what your customers can expect from you.
So, what does an extraordinary brand promise look like? It resonates with your audience and makes them say, “wow.” It should be clear, memorable, and easy to understand.
You'll want to consider three things when writing your brand's promise:
- Use the right words
- Make it sound fun
- Create a personal connection
What Makes a Great Brand Promise?
Your promise should reflect the unique values and characteristics of your business.
It should tell a story about what makes you unique and differentiates you from your competitors. It should also include the core benefits that your customers will receive when they purchase from you.
Your brand promise should be specific so that it's easy to remember. It should be concise and include a promise to which your audience can relate.
Make sure your promise is something you can be proud of and excited to share with others.
It doesn't have to be complicated or too detailed; ensure it conveys the value and experience you offer.
How To Build A Brand Promise That Stands Out?
Ask yourself a few questions about your brand promise:
- What is the promise I'm making?
- What are the benefits that my customers will receive?
- How do I communicate these benefits clearly and effectively?
- How can I stand out from my competitors?
- Does my brand promise resonate with my audience?
- Is it easy to remember?
- Is it straightforward?
- Does it inspire trust and loyalty?
Once you've answered these questions, write down your answers.
Now it's time to get your team together and review the answers you came up with. If necessary, revise them based on feedback and your insight.
What's the Promise?
There's no one-size-fits-all brand promise, but it's essential to have a strong foundation. Here are some examples of how a brand promise could look:
- We're a company of integrity, honesty, and transparency.
- We believe that your happiness is our responsibility.
- We care about your health and wellness.
- We deliver fantastic customer experiences.
- Our commitment to quality and our customer's satisfaction is unwavering.
- We're always striving to improve.
- We're here for you.
How To Use This Formula To Build Your Brand
Let's start with the first question.
When you think about your brand promise, you need to think about three things:
- Is your promise clear?
- Does it sound believable?
- Can you sell it?
A promise that sounds believable will lead to sales. A clear promise will attract customers and influence them to buy.
So how do you develop a promise that sounds believable and can help you sell your product or service?
You start by clarifying what your brand promise is. People should know precisely what you are promising when they hear it. That means being very specific. So how do you figure out what your promise is?
Start by asking yourself, what is my brand promise? What am I promising to do? What am I promising to help people with? How can you communicate your brand promise to your customers clearly and believably? Once you've developed your brand promise, you can begin to answer the second question.
Will people believe it?
If your brand promise is believable, people will believe you when you speak about it. But how do you build that belief in people?
Think about how your customers perceive your brand. For example, Apple, the creator of the iPhone, created a brand promise that resonated with consumers. It promised that the iPhone would be intuitive, reliable, and easy to use.
As you might imagine, Apple created a brand that people believed in and trusted. People believed the iPhone would be easy to use, reliable, and intuitive. Apple built that brand promise into their marketing strategy, and it worked.
When building your brand promise, consider how your customers view your brand.
Are they excited about it? Are they interested in it? Do they see it as an opportunity to help them achieve their goals?
Customers excited about your brand promise are more likely to believe it. If they are interested in your brand, they are more likely to believe it.
And if they see your brand as an opportunity to help them achieve their goals, they are more likely to believe it.
Once you've answered the second question, it's time to answer the third question.
Can you sell it?
Now that you know what your brand promise is and you've identified your audience, you need to answer the question, can you sell it?
Remember, you are selling a promise. When your customer hears your brand promise, what do they expect from you?
So think about how to translate your brand promise into the actions that your customers expect. It would be best if you were clear about the benefit you are providing, how you're different from your competitors, and how you are delivering on your promise.
Finally, it's time to test your brand promise once you've answered the third question.
How do your customers react when they hear your brand promise? What do they think about it? How do they feel when they think about it?
In other words, how does your brand promise make them feel?
For example, your brand promise could be that we are a technology company that creates tools for people to find the information they need.
If that is your brand promise, how does it make you feel? How does it make your customers feel?
When they think about it, what do they think?
Once you've tested your brand promise, you'll know whether it is believable and whether you can sell it.
Conclusion
Your brand promise is your most powerful asset as an entrepreneur. If you're a business owner, your brand is the face of your business. You are what people think of when they think of your business.
This means you are responsible for creating a positive and memorable brand experience for every person who interacts with your company. Your brand promise is how you communicate to your audience why they should choose you over your competitors.
When someone encounters your brand, they will be able to understand why they should choose you over another business immediately. To stand out from the crowd, you need a powerful brand promise.
Want to learn more about writing your brand promise? Check out this article about my formula!
