Often brand messaging can be more difficult than one might imagine, especially for larger organizations that offer a myriad of products or services that appeal to different customer groups. And functional benefits may not be the most powerful things to promote to stimulate purchase and especially repeat purchase and brand loyalty. Often, it is shared values and emotional, experiential or self-expressive benefits that have the most power to motivate purchase decisions.
So, if the objective is to determine the optimal brand positioning and messaging, especially succinct and powerful messaging, the focus groups should include a discussion of the following:
- Customer beliefs, attitudes, values, anxieties, hopes, fears, motivations and behaviors
- How purchase decisions are made
- What other product or services, if any, they considered in the purchase decision
- What the purchase experience was like
- What the product or service usage experience was like
- Asking them how they felt while using the brand's products or services
- Talking about the brand as if it were a person, identifying the adjectives that best define the brand
- Identifying what they believe the brand's values are
- Perceived relevance of the brand and its products or services
- The need that led to considering the brand
- Asking them to use only one word to describe the brand
- Asking them how they would sell the brand to someone who was unfamiliar with the brand
- Asking them what the most important things about the brand are to them
Another insightful question to ask would be, "What would the world miss most if the brand ceased to exist?"
Usually, you would want to talk with loyal customers, new customers and customers who have walked away from the brand after having purchased its products and services previously.
This will lead you to a potent motivating unique value proposition and messaging for the brand.
Did you notice that I did not include questions about the product's or service's functions and features? While this might become part of the discussion, these are rarely the things that sell the brand.
I wish you great success in gaining insight into customer's motivations for purchasing your brand's products and services.
Brand messaging becomes complex when an organization serves multiple audiences with diverse needs, because a single, purely functional value proposition rarely resonates across all segments. While functional benefits like efficiency, cost savings, or performance are important for initial consideration, they are often easy for competitors to replicate. What truly differentiates a brand and drives long term engagement is its ability to connect on a deeper level.
ReplyDeleteEmotional, experiential, and self expressive benefits play a crucial role here. Customers are more likely to choose and stay loyal to brands that reflect their values, aspirations, and identity. For example, messaging that emphasizes trust, innovation, empowerment, or community can create a stronger bond than simply highlighting product features. This is especially important in industries where offerings are similar and switching costs are low.
For organizations positioning themselves as a Microsoft Power Platform partner, this means going beyond highlighting technical capabilities like automation, data integration, or app development. Instead, the messaging should also communicate how the partnership enables clients to transform their business, empower their teams, and innovate with confidence. By aligning the brand with outcomes such as growth, agility, and digital empowerment, the messaging becomes more compelling and memorable.
Ultimately, effective brand messaging balances rational and emotional appeals, clearly articulating what the product does, while also reinforcing why it matters to the customer on a personal and organizational level.