Finding the value behind your brand's value
There is value in the product or service that you offer. But that is not the greatest value of your brand.
Your brand’s value goes beyond what you do or what you make. It goes beyond a logo or a rallying cry. These can be valuable elements, but there is something even greater. Something that plays a larger role in making your brand beloved.
That something is the value that your brand creates by building an emotional connection with those you hope to serve. This is important to understand because this can be a powerful tool for attracting prospects, winning customers, and building loyalty.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s take a closer look at this value behind the brand value and why it is important.
What exactly is it?
Your brand's value is not necessarily the same thing as the functional benefit your products or services deliver. While these things certainly contribute to your overall value, there's often much more to the story. For example, Apple's real value isn't just in its products (although they are certainly excellent), but also in how those products make their owners feel (empowered, creative, etc.)
At its core, the value behind a brand’s functional value is its intangible worth. It is something that is tallied by the way the brand makes us feel.
Why does the value behind your brand value matter?
The value behind the brand’s functional value is what drives customer loyalty and trust. It’s the feeling we have about the brand. Like that it really gets us. Or it’s the feeling that the brand helps us work toward an aspiration we have. That emotional connection is where the real value lies.
Getting emotional
There are some very practical reasons to clarify the emotional value your brand could deliver to those you hope to serve.
For starters, it helps you stand out. Very few brands truly do a good job of understanding and fostering the emotional connection their brand could offer.
It helps you become memorable as well. People make space in their heads for a brand that reaches beyond the functional needs to serve the emotional desires.
There is also the virality it creates. When someone feels emotionally connected to your brand, they are more likely to share it with others. This can help to generate word-of-mouth, which is one of the most powerful forms of promotion.
And, of course, it builds loyalty. Because you are more focused on the emotional needs of your prospects than you are on your wants. That is incredibly attractive to those you hope to serve (and rare in today’s world).
The emotional connection you build with your brand is about more than just product features or benefits. It's about tapping into those deeper motivations and desires, and creating a sense of shared values and beliefs. When a customer feels this value behind the brand value, you get elevated. You create a brand that is not just successful, but truly beloved by its customers.