Delivering on Your Brand Promise

Years ago, branding was no more than a logo and catchy tagline. Today, branding takes on new meaning with the unparalleled rise of the Internet as a marketing communication channel. Unlike traditional marketing and advertising methods, internet marketing shouldn't focus on pushing generic messages out to a supposedly homogeneous audience, but rather on building one-to-one relationships with customers in an online environment. To fulfill your brand promise, your brand must reflect an intimate knowledge and satisfaction of your customers' needs.

At the core of an effective online branding strategy is the dynamic discussion between company and customer. It's like going into your favorite coffee shop and the staff remember that you like your vanilla latte with two Splendas and skim milk. They smile when they see you, joyfully customize your drink and hand it to you in a matter of minutes. They always charge you correctly, and if you decide your drink isn't perfect that day, they refund your money without a hassle.

Does it make you want to go back to that coffee shop? Does it make you feel a certain way about the employees, the management and the company as a whole? Of course. You are part of the experience, part of the discussion. It's no different with branding, except instead of walking into a retail location, customers now visit your Web site or opt in to an email newsletter, survey or other marketing communication. What does that experience tell them about your company?

A successful online branding strategy goes beyond look and feel to functionality. With many potential customers accessing your site via a search engine, they can often enter through a page other than the home page. Can they find the information they want from any page on your Web site? Does your navigation invite customers to further explore your site or visit one page and leave? Are your FAQs and contact area easy to find? Perhaps you have an e-newsletter. Is the registration process simple or does it turn people off? When customers receive your e-newsletter, is it tailored to their purchasing or browsing history? To do this, collecting data on customer preferences is a must. It takes time and the proper tools to do this effectively, but the payoff is huge. The customer feels understood and valued by the company, and the company can offer the most relevant options to the customer.

This is the online brand experience - a give and take of information from both sides that builds a meaningful connection between company and customer. And fulfilling the brand promise at every customer touchpoint is one of the most important internet marketing investments you will make. Whether it's a Web site visit, an email marketing piece, a registration process, a survey, a contact page, a message board or other communication, engaging customers in these discussions - and capturing resulting data - both the customer and the company ultimately benefit.