Building a unified brand experience across channels

A customer’s brand experience determines how they’ll feel about your business. When customers are deciding which business to choose, they’ll consider their available options and general feelings about each one. Every experience they’ve had with each business on the list will color their opinion of that brand and ultimately affect the choice they make.

That’s why brand experience is so important. When every experience a customer has with a brand is positive, they are more likely to trust that they can consistently count on you. If their experiences have been mixed, the brand will rank lower in their estimation. And if they’ve had even one outright bad experience, they may never come back. Good interactions don’t always outweigh the bad or mediocre ones.

This makes defining a unified brand strategy across channels an imperative. When customers have a different experience on your social media channels than they do speaking with your customer service team, it won’t matter to them that it’s because different teams run each area. As far as they’re concerned, it’s all the same brand. It’s up to you to make sure the people behind every channel are representing the brand consistently.

As more customers shop on their computer or phone, creating the right digital brand experience is key. That includes a few main elements:

Website. Your website is your brand’s main face online. Designing a website that provides a great experience and represents your brand well should be a top priority. Make the information customers most commonly look for—things like location addresses, hours, and FAQs—easy to find. Be sure the website’s navigation is intuitive. Customers should be able to easily get to whatever web page or product they’re looking for. And use the website to promote your other online channels, as well as your products and deals.

Brand app. An app isn’t something every business needs, but if you know your customers do a lot of their browsing and shopping on mobile devices, it could be a smart investment. If you do create a branded app, design it to match your larger digital brand experience. That could mean using similar colors, features, and design elements to what’s on your website, while making sure it’s designed with mobile usability in mind.

Online ordering and checkout process. For both a website and an app, you can encourage more sales from all the customers who prefer the ease of shopping from their couch by enabling online ordering. Design the checkout process for conversion, so that completing an order is seamless for customers. For example, letting customers create an account that saves their information (so they don’t have to re-enter it with each order) simplifies the process of future purchases. And accepting popular payment methods (like PayPal and Apple Pay) can further reduce friction.

Online content. Content marketing is a great way to further build out your online profile, demonstrate your expertise, and build trust with customers. Create content that relates to your brand. As an example, a grocery store might publish recipes that use products you sell. A clothing store could write blog posts about seasonal fashion tips. And a crafts store could publish how-to videos for creative crafts projects.

For customers who place delivery orders, your job isn’t done once the purchase is complete. You still want to think through their full delivery experience.

Delivery options. The delivery experience starts with what delivery options are available. If possible, try to offer customers a few different options, such as same-day, next-day, slower delivery for a lower price, or delivery scheduled for a set time in advance. Consumers also love free delivery, so consider when it makes business sense to waive the delivery cost as a perk. For example, you could remove delivery fees for orders over $50, to encourage larger order sizes.

Delivery speed. How quickly delivery orders arrive will often be a deciding factor. When a holiday or occasion is approaching, customers need their items by a specific date to serve their intended purpose. Nobody wants an anniversary gift that shows up a week late. And when they’re ordering groceries or flowers, the items must come while they’re still fresh. Make sure you offer deliveries at a speed that makes sense for the context, and do your best to follow through on the promised arrival time.

Delivery tracking. Once an order is placed, an eager customer will be anticipating its arrival. If you provide delivery tracking information, they can check for themselves how far away it is and when to expect it. That improves their experience and cuts down on how often you hear from customers asking for delivery updates.

Dropoff experience. The final part of the delivery experience may take only a few moments, but it still matters. Let customers dictate their handoff preferences. Someone with a sleeping baby may prefer that you leave the item at the door without knocking, while someone who wants to get the ice cream in that grocery order into the freezer ASAP may request that you ring the doorbell. Provide these instructions to delivery drivers to ensure that you’re offering a good delivery experience right up to the final moment.

Consumers expect access to their favorite brands. Offering 2-way communication on various platforms plays an important role in the overall brand experience you create. Some of the most common platforms and communication channels to factor into your strategy include the following:

Phone. Phone calls may seem old-fashioned compared with some other channels featured here, but the phone is still a common option for customers who have questions or feedback for businesses. Make your business phone number easy to find, and have employees available to answer calls during your business hours.

Social media. Social media platforms are good for both pushing out marketing messages and interacting directly with customers. Incorporate both uses into your strategy. Share valuable content you create and promotions your audience is likely to care about. Then reply to your followers when they share something about your brand or reply to your posts.

Email. Like social media, email can serve as a channel for marketing and customer support. Use it to stay top of mind with your customers, share coupons and promotions, and provide store updates. And provide an email address customers can use for any questions, comments, or feedback they have. Keep that inbox monitored so you can answer fast, and craft responses that are in line with your overall brand values and goals.

Online chat. This is an optional channel to consider but one that’s increasingly common for businesses to provide. You can set up a chat feature on your website or app that an employee monitors in order to answer questions for customers in real time. Some chat software includes automation, meaning that a chatbot can answer simple questions on its own, so an employee only needs to step in for more complex queries. For example, if a potential customer for a florist wants to know if they still have time to order for Mother’s Day, the chatbot could be programmed with that response and save a busy human a few minutes of work.

Reviews. Customers may leave reviews with other customers in mind, but those reviews also serve as a form of communication with the brand. Every review you get provides valuable feedback. And in many of the places where customers leave reviews (including the Uber Eats app), brands have the option to reply, making it a 2-way communication platform. Whether a review is singing your praises or sharing a frustrating experience, replying is a good way to let the customer know you hear them and care what they have to say.

Even when online ordering is an option, many customers still like to do their shopping in person. The experience you create within your store’s physical location is a key part of the overall brand experience.

Store layout and aesthetics. When customers walk through the door, the visual design and layout of your store will largely determine their first impression. Think about what you want to communicate with your store’s interior design. Retail stores that want to show that they have a little of everything may want big, expansive aisles that are clearly labeled. Specialty shops might want to create a more intimate, cozy environment. Consider factors like your store’s colors, how much space you put between aisles, and where to feature certain products.

In-person employees. Employees are extremely important to a brand’s in-store experience. They should be well trained in all the brand’s most important goals. For example, a gardening supply store that prides itself on educating patrons on gardening locally should hire employees with the right knowledge and experience, then train them to provide helpful advice to customers. Also be mindful of how many employees you hire and schedule at a time—too few, and you risk long checkout lines or customers who can’t find help when they need it. Even if every employee is amazing, you still need enough of them to create the right in-store brand experience.

In-store physical experience. Something unique to the in-store brand experience is the sensory impressions people will have. Think about how to make the space as comfortable as possible, factoring in elements like temperature, noise, and smell. Consider what music playlists match the brand experience you want to create. Keep the temperature set to comfortable levels. And be mindful of any unpleasant smells you might need to remedy—an element that’s especially important for, say, a pet store where customers bring their pets in with them.