Understanding the 4 Cs of Branding

Alex Herring //Senior Editor//April 23, 2020

Understanding the 4 Cs of Branding

Brand clarity, communication, consistency and conversation are key to successful relationships with consumers. Here's why.

Alex Herring //Senior Editor//April 23, 2020

When it comes to building and strengthening your brand, there are four key pillars every business owner needs to define, says interior design coach Kimberly Sundt. In her April 22 webinar, Sundt broke down each of these pillars — clarity, confidence, consistency and conversation — and how they can help retailers develop a strong brand that resonates with target audiences. Here are some key takeaways and lessons:

Clarity

“Clarity is your brand personality, what you promise to customers,” Sundt explained. Although other aspects of your business may change over time, from the type of products you offer to the methods you use to get your message across, the heart of your message should stay the same.

When building brand clarity, ask yourself, ‘What is Your Why?’ Sundt advised. Determine what customer problem you want to solve, how you would solve it and how your proffered solutions differ from those of your competitors.

“Figure out what you bring to the table. That’s what makes you special,” Sundt said.

Another question to examine concerns your target audience: ‘Who is your who?’ To find out the answer, Sundt suggests retailers watch their customers’ shopping behavior and interactions. “Go out to the floor when they are shopping,” she said. “Read your reviews, engage on social media and have a conversation.”

Communication

Communication with customers is essential for building a good relationship, especially in today’s trying times. Every brand’s website should include a COVID-19 statement, Sundt said, to inform of any changes (such as new store hours), offer transparency and reassure visitors to your page.

Social media is another great tool to stay connected with customers and now is an “amazing time to communicate.” If you don’t know where to start, Sundt suggests sharing captions that “entertain, educate and inspire. Tell your story and how it is different to work with you than with others,” she added.

For retailers that use e-newsletters to communicate with customers, a few ideas to consider include ones that complete the following thoughts:

  • Why I shop at …
  • How to style a …
  • Where to find …
  • What inspires you …
  • Design solutions …
  • The perfect gift for …
  • How you will reopen

Consistency and Conversation

Consistency in your brand messaging helps foster customer loyalty and trust.

“When you don’t have brand consistency, the trust factor falls away,” Sundt said. “Customers won’t walk away immediately, but they’ll know something is ‘off.’ Ultimately, they will move on somewhere else.”

To make sure you are keeping brand consistency, it’s important to consider all the customer ‘touchpoints’ of marketing, i.e. every place where a customer will interact with your business. From your website and logo to the layout of your store, all areas of your business should have a cohesive theme, color scheme, font use, etc.

Finally, conversations with your customers are where your ‘Whispered Wows’ have a moment to shine. A whispered wow, according to Sundt, is a little something extra that promotes emotional connections with the customer. For some, this may be as simple as adding a thank you card to a customer’s shopping bag, but to truly make it a ‘wow’ moment, a bigger idea, such as a handpicked and customized card, can make the gift even more special.

In choosing the right whispered wow for your customer, ask yourself these questions, Sundt says:

  • How do you want your customer to feel during their interactions with your brand?
  • What do you want them to say?
  • What do you want them to do?

Finally, don’t be afraid to take risks. “The world is very forgiving right now,” Sundt said.