We live in a digital-first age. That means that a potential client will probably see or interact with your business via some type of digital platform like Facebook or your website before they ever actually do business with you.
Imagine this scenario, someone asks for recommendations for a licensed contractor… You get recommended and your Facebook page is tagged.
The person seeking help hops onto your Facebook page and sees a pretty bare bones presence. Cover photo is some obscure photo of work you’ve done and there isn’t really anything of substance… But, you have your website listed so they click that…
That takes them to a website that looks half done, is kind of a mess to navigate, and doesn’t actually give a clear way to contact you unless they start digging around.
Can you imagine? If you were looking up a business and their digital presence was this messy you may chalk that up to a negative interaction and go back on your search for someone else.
Establishing a Digital Culture
Let’s talk about what is a brand? A brand is NOT a logo. It’s not choosing your favorite colors.
A brand is a feeling.
Your brand is the gateway through which all digital interactions occur with you. Think of it kind of like a digital billboard.
When your potential clients interact with your brand, they’re going to get a feeling. In our very real scenario from before, that feeling was a negative one.
The truth is people will choose you based on two things… One, social proof, and two, your brand (or really the feeling they get).
They want to feel validated in choosing you to do business with. That’s why your brand is so important to create a point of trust.
An Emotional Connection
So, yes, a brand is the feeling your audience gets when interacting with you. That is absolutely a combination of the logo you use, the colors you choose, and the content you post.
Plus, where are they seeing your brand? If you’re sponsoring local community events they like and they see your brand, you’re creating a touch point of trust and credibility.
True story, clients have chosen a business based on their social media presence and website alone. In fact, when comparing the competition, they’ll often use your brand’s digital presence as a major metric.
You want your brand to evoke a positive reaction for your current and potential clients.
Brand Recognition and Loyalty
A common statistic for businesses is that it takes 6 to 8 touchpoints before someone decides to buy or commit to your business.
This can come in the form of an online ad, your website, word of mouth, banner at an event, and more.
If you have all these touchpoints in place for your brand, by the time they talk to you, that may be the eighth or ninth touchpoint.
Plus, people that buy-in to the brand recognition are more likely to create trust and loyalty towards your business. That means they’ll be a repeat customer and will tell others about you.
The Bottom Line – Your Brand Matters
Your brand will absolutely affect your revenue. We’ve obviously highlighted how someone will be more likely to engage with your business, but the opposite is true too.
If someone is ready to seek out your professional help and then they go to your website and see it’s a mess. That may have just hurt their confidence in you being the solution to their problem.
Having a strong brand that backs your digital presence will absolutely drive more clients that pay, stay, and refer. And, they’ll be happy to do that because of the positive interactions from your business and brand.
