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Consumers are bombarded with different brands constantly throughout the day. Experts expect that we see 5,000 ads per day and that many of these are for the same brands over and over. Our social media consumption has given us another insight into the various kinds of brands available – from those who promise to make our lives better to those who are solving a common problem. As a willing consumer and a potential customer, it can often be startling to decide exactly where to spend our hard-earned money. So, here are some ways in which we can try to decide which brands are worth our time and which can be relegated to white noise.
Loyal Customers
One of the best ways to find the brands we want to give our money to are the brands who are more interested in building relationships with us, rather than have us make a one-off purchase. Loyalty cards and schemes that reward us for shopping with them can make brands our go-to. Coffee shop loyalty schemes have been shown to boost our brand loyalty to a certain chain. Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s recently launched special discount on various products for loyal Nectar cardholders. Rewarding loyalty also helps strengthen loyalty, and we are then ambassadors for the brand, giving genuine and positive word-of-mouth recommendations to friends and family.
Special Offers
We all love an offer. Whether its money off for our first purchase – as many of the ecommerce fashion brands promise us – free shipping, or a specific discount. Apps like Shopmium help us discover brands through trialling their products with cashback for successful purchases. This helps us to build a relationship with the brands. Promising a signing bonus is also a tactic many brands utilize. As the UK casino bonuses show, the industry has many sites, and often players are able to differentiate between ones they want to play on and ones they don’t based on what they might be offered for signing up.
Good Brands
There is a lot of focus on brands that don’t just make money and sell things, but also who do good. This can be links with a good charity, like Land Rover with the Red Cross, or could be specific schemes that are in place, such as brands that showcase their MacMillan coffee mornings to raise money for cancer. Being environmentally friendly is of much importance to consumers, so brands have logically also shown their green credentials, whether it’s McDonalds opting for energy-efficient machinery and reusing cooking oil in their vehicles, or Iceland vowing to eliminate all plastic from their own brand products.
Cutting through the chatter to find a brand that excites us when we make a purchase or show our commitment can be difficult, but it is worth it afterwards. We have to consume, so it makes sense to consume in a way that makes us feel as though we have done good, either for the planet and wider society or for our own pocket. Brands need us more than we need them and understanding this prepares us for stronger relationships.
