The Emotional Side of Branding Your Retail Biz

Humans are very emotionally driven creatures, as much as we like to think our choices are rational and driven purely by logic, if we’re really honest with ourselves, we’ll have to admit that emotion has a lot to do with it. Consumers are no different when it comes to purchasing decisions. Think about the products you use every day; toothpaste, dish soap, deodorant. Do you have the one item in the grocery store that you refuse to buy generic? Of course, we all do, is it because it really tastes that different? Perhaps, but more likely it’s because you have fond memories associated with it or bad memories associated with the generic brand.  Large or small it’s important to your business to build an emotional attachment between your brand and your customers.  While the largest corporations in the world spend millions on design and advertising to make sure they get this right, you can follow a few simple rules to start building the same effect.

Cut the Mental Dissonance

The only way you can build a strong brand is if your customer’s experience matches up with what your marketing is telling them. Take a moment to think through your processes for all customer interactions, this may sound daunting but it won’t take long and your brand will be stronger for it. See if there is anything in these processes that doesn’t match up with your brand expectations. Do you have a small bakery or restaurant that sells food using only ingredients that are organic and locally sourced, but, your serving dishes and to go boxes all say “made in China” on them? Do you sell earth friendly products but your cashiers double or triple bag everything?  This type of thing happens more often than you would think, don’t let it happen to you.

Appeal to the Senses

Beyond processes our senses can create dissonance with a brand message as well, for example you wouldn’t expect to walk into an upscale spa and hear 80’s Hair Bands playing as the background music? How would it impact your workout if you walked into the gym and it was filled with the scent of bacon fresh off the griddle?  Two easy ways to make sure you are getting the most out of your brand building efforts are to:

1. Make sure you take into account all five senses (or at least as many as you can).

2. Make sure your biases aren’t skewing the experience. Our personal memories sometimes mean we have associations that not everyone shares. It’s a good idea to test things out, ask your friends or customers “what do you think of when you hear this, or smell that etc.”

The Take Home Memento

We all have mementos stored somewhere in our house. Usually it’s that shoe box tucked away on the top shelve of the closet, filled with pictures, ticket stubs, gum wrappers, knick-knacks and other items. These are things that mean little to anyone else but that bring to life our fondest memories when we look at them.  For retailers packaging is that memento, it’s the icon representing your brand that your customers can hold in their hand and take with them. You’ll want to make sure you follow the steps above, make sure it doesn’t create brand dissonance, appeal to all the senses, and just as important make sure your packaging is distinctively yours.

When people give the gift they purchased at your shop you want there to be no mistaking where it came from.

Many major companies have utilized their packaging this way to get maximum impact for their brand, think of a small box in “Tiffany’s Blue”, or how about a gift in the legendary “Mary Kay Pink”. These companies know that a brand is built based the customer’s experience both in the store and out. Using these simple practices you can build a power brand as well, and you can do it without taking a major hit to your marketing budget.

Contributed by Sally Mustaca, the Marketing Manager for Premier Packaging. Premier Packaging specializes in custom hot stamping gift or retail packaging. They have a wide selection of gift bags, boxes and accessories at low prices as well as an industry wide reputation for supporting independent retailers.

Photo Credit: Premier Packaging