The magic formula to get the attention of your target customers is to be able to inform them factually while engaging them emotionally through stories.

Your brand should both be tangible and provoke an emotion, as people not only think with their heads, they have feelings too. You must develop empathy by identifying the needs of your audience. When communicating, it's not just about the pure exchange of information, but a give and take among communication partners, which means that you should listen carefully to what your audiences have to say. They have their very own opinions and represent them confidently in public. They use the functionalities on your Website, their own blog, social media platforms, or assessment tools. If you want online users to talk about your brand, you have to hand them details, which are valuable and interesting enough to be discussed and can quickly achieve strong viral effects. Always make sure that you know exactly who reports what about your brand. If you don’t have an eye on the flow of information and steer it carefully, the viral activity could run out of control and cause negative effects. This all truly depends on your initiative and how you want to expertly stage your brand.

If you display your brand online, show your presence in social networks and demand feedback, your prospects will turn to you and be quite outspoken with their questions - which is actually what you want.  Nowhere do you have a better opportunity to prove that than on the Internet to your prospects, if you have a customer and service-oriented attitude. You are the direct contact for the questions of your target audience, so take advantage of this opportunity and be open, transparent and welcoming.  Being approachable allows a company’s target audience to relate to the brand and this is therefore a good way for the company to position itself. You must, therefore, show the willingness to deal with the requirements of your prospective and interested customers. Only then can you be perceived and recommended as a trustworthy company.

Five rules for a brand to keep in touch with their customers

On the Internet, a brand lives on the willingness of users to voluntarily engage with their messages.  At best they even share the messages, if the brand is appealing and regularly provides them news updates. You should, therefore, consider the following rules for your digital brand management:

1. Inform regularly and based on facts

The published information should be relevant, interesting and up-to-date.  Only those who have something to say should have a voice.

2. Listen first, before you start talking

He, who has something to tell, should first and foremost listen to his audience, as this guarantees that a sympathetic and empathetic communication can take place.

3. Have a conversation with your audience

An open dialogue with customers and prospects will support a customer- and service-oriented communications policy.

4. Get recommended

The Internet is a great way to spread information quickly and effectively with added value.  Consider social networks as a valuable support.

5. Stay alert

Continuous monitoring and reporting are necessary measures to check online activities and to sustain and, if need be, fix the digital brand image.

By Daniela La Marca