The Seven Critical Attributes of Compelling Brand Promises

Prospects need to know what your brand stands for, and so often as leaders of companies, we think we have strong brand promises.  However, ask current clients, informed prospects, even employees what your brand stands for, and you may get blank stares or generic answers.  Most leaders and companies underinvest in this critical aspect of positioning. Verne Harnish in his best-selling book hashtag#ScalingUp clearly articulates why Brand Promises must be carefully and thoughtfully crafted to be differentiated and powerful – otherwise they are just hum drum in a sea of sameness.  Great examples of clear, meaningful brand promises include Volvo Group(Safety), Walmart (Save Money, Live Better), BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC (The Ultimate Driving Machine), and Nike (Just Do It).

What is a brand promise?  A brand promise is a company’s commitment to deliver a specific value or experience consistently to its customers. It serves as a foundation for building trust, loyalty, and differentiation in the market. Here are the essential characteristics of strong brand promises:

·      Authenticity: A brand promise must be genuine and aligned with the company’s core values. It should reflect the organization’s core purpose and resonate with both employees and customers.
·      Clarity: The promise should be simple, clear, and easy to understand. Customers should immediately grasp what the brand stands for and what they can expect.
·      Compelling Value Proposition: A strong brand promise addresses a key customer need or problem in a unique and effective way. It must be relevant to the target audience.
·      Consistency: Delivering on the promise consistently across all customer touchpoints is critical to maintaining trust and credibility.
·      Differentiation: A brand promise should set the company apart from competitors by emphasizing unique qualities or benefits.
·      Emotional Connection: Great promises evoke emotions, creating a deeper bond between the brand and its customers.
·      The best companies add one more – a Brand Promise Guarantee.  A brand promise guarantee is a commitment to the customer that if you fall short, you will rectify it, usually financially.  It has to be painful enough for you for you to ensure you rarely break it.  More importantly, if it is painful to you, it is most likely quite meaningful to a customer, and in turn differentiated in the market since so few companies do it.

Invest the time and resources to get your brand promises right – and reinforce them internally and externally.  By doing so, you will be differentiated in the market and drive stronger growth.