How To Cultivate A Cult Brand For Your Business
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Mar 17 2020, 4:03 PM
Apple, Amazon and GoPro are all well-known brands with a loyal cult customer base. Even with all of Apple's competition releases like Samsung’s new Notebook 9 Pro, their customer base has not only been loyal but has grown. Besides the fact that most cult brands command premium prices in the market, they also have longer customer retention and higher customer acquisition rates. For any brand, this is a win-win situation, especially since marketing metrics from the Gartner Group estimates that 80 percent of your future revenue will come from just 20 percent of your current customers - making the case for creating a cult brand even stronger. For large corporations that have rows of marketing executives at their disposal, this may be easy. However, for those small young businesses, where do you get started? Can you successfully cultivate a cult brand?
Find The Thing Your Competitors Don’t Offer And Use It As A Selling Point
The key to developing a cult brand is to differentiate. Admittedly, this can be difficult in a market where there are hundreds of other small (and not so small) brands that are selling the same product or service. However, differentiation does not end with your product. You can also focus on your customer service or cultivate yourself as a well-trusted expert in your industry. If you want to set your customer service apart, go with personalization. Studies have shown that personalized customer service increases your revenue and builds brand loyalty. Spending time and resources training your in-store and social media staff on tactics to provide personalized customer service is a great place to start.
Another way to set your brand apart is through elements of your image, such as your social media content, name or logo, and brand design. Refrain from using overused color schemes or logo designs - even if they may seem popular. Instead, focus on creating a logo and brand images that are aligned to your product and brand ethos. When it comes to choosing a brand or product name, trademark search engines online can help you pinpoint names that have already been registered. NameStormers and several other creative agencies also reiterate the importance of using naming architecture to ensure brand consistency with product names as well as your brand name.
Extend Your Marketing Beyond Your Product: Make It An Experience
Building a cult brand is not just about creating a wanted and revered product. This is about selling much more than your product; it is also about selling the experience and lifestyle that comes with it. A good place to start is by appealing to your customers’ emotions. For some brands, it is the nostalgic emotion of preserving family memories or reminding them about their childhood days. Others choose to tap into the trendsetter or tech-driven customer trends. Another tip is to feature your brand in blog posts (or on your own brand blog) showcasing ways it can improve their lives - for example, portability, ease of access, etc.
Keep Your Customers At The Heart Of It All
Exclusivity is often linked with many of the cult brands we see on the market today, with their customers feeling like they are a part of a unique members-only club. This means making your customers feel special. UK based magazine MarketingWeek suggests placing your fans at the heart of your entire brand experience. This means constant market research and customer feedback that is acted on. It also includes enjoying shared experiences with the customer communities. Several industry giants have recently launched social media campaigns aimed at encouraging customers to share their thoughts or association with a brand - a strategy that can easily be emulated by small businesses.
Lastly, keep in mind that cult branding status does not happen overnight. It can take years to cultivate, and then there’s the job of maintaining it. Therefore, you need to keep your content engaging and ever-evolving. As you build your engagement with your customers, you can easily interact with them and build that loyal customer base that all cult brands seem to have.
Apple, Amazon and GoPro are all well-known brands with a loyal cult customer base. Even with all of Apple's competition releases like Samsung’s new Notebook 9 Pro, their customer base has not only been loyal but has grown. Besides the fact that most cult brands command premium prices in the market, they also have longer customer retention and higher customer acquisition rates. For any brand, this is a win-win situation, especially since marketing metrics from the Gartner Group estimates that 80 percent of your future revenue will come from just 20 percent of your current customers - making the case for creating a cult brand even stronger. For large corporations that have rows of marketing executives at their disposal, this may be easy. However, for those small young businesses, where do you get started? Can you successfully cultivate a cult brand?
Find The Thing Your Competitors Don’t Offer And Use It As A Selling Point
The key to developing a cult brand is to differentiate. Admittedly, this can be difficult in a market where there are hundreds of other small (and not so small) brands that are selling the same product or service. However, differentiation does not end with your product. You can also focus on your customer service or cultivate yourself as a well-trusted expert in your industry. If you want to set your customer service apart, go with personalization. Studies have shown that personalized customer service increases your revenue and builds brand loyalty. Spending time and resources training your in-store and social media staff on tactics to provide personalized customer service is a great place to start.
Another way to set your brand apart is through elements of your image, such as your social media content, name or logo, and brand design. Refrain from using overused color schemes or logo designs - even if they may seem popular. Instead, focus on creating a logo and brand images that are aligned to your product and brand ethos. When it comes to choosing a brand or product name, trademark search engines online can help you pinpoint names that have already been registered. NameStormers and several other creative agencies also reiterate the importance of using naming architecture to ensure brand consistency with product names as well as your brand name.
Extend Your Marketing Beyond Your Product: Make It An Experience
Building a cult brand is not just about creating a wanted and revered product. This is about selling much more than your product; it is also about selling the experience and lifestyle that comes with it. A good place to start is by appealing to your customers’ emotions. For some brands, it is the nostalgic emotion of preserving family memories or reminding them about their childhood days. Others choose to tap into the trendsetter or tech-driven customer trends. Another tip is to feature your brand in blog posts (or on your own brand blog) showcasing ways it can improve their lives - for example, portability, ease of access, etc.
Keep Your Customers At The Heart Of It All
Exclusivity is often linked with many of the cult brands we see on the market today, with their customers feeling like they are a part of a unique members-only club. This means making your customers feel special. UK based magazine MarketingWeek suggests placing your fans at the heart of your entire brand experience. This means constant market research and customer feedback that is acted on. It also includes enjoying shared experiences with the customer communities. Several industry giants have recently launched social media campaigns aimed at encouraging customers to share their thoughts or association with a brand - a strategy that can easily be emulated by small businesses.
Lastly, keep in mind that cult branding status does not happen overnight. It can take years to cultivate, and then there’s the job of maintaining it. Therefore, you need to keep your content engaging and ever-evolving. As you build your engagement with your customers, you can easily interact with them and build that loyal customer base that all cult brands seem to have.
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