If brands are about relationships, why not build a strong marriage between brands?

I’m not suggesting you walk down the aisle with your customers. But perhaps the time has come to see brand relationships in a different way.

We all know that the best brands make strong emotional connections with their customers. However, recent research suggests that the best brands don’t stop there. Instead, they harness those emotional connections to such an extent that their customers feel “married” to the brand.

In general, customers come to strong emotional connections with a brand in two ways. First, they personify the product (or the company) so that they have a relationship with it as they would with a real person. They sometimes experience a wide range of emotions when they interact with the brand and sometimes even talk about the brand as if they were a good friend. Apple Mac users belong to this group.

Second, customers can become part of a group that shares a common bond around the brand. Harley Davidson and BMW motorcycle customers belong to this group, as do the user groups of many software companies.

However, for most technologists and scientists, this emotional model of branding is too warm and fuzzy, especially with products that mostly meet functional needs. Most technology companies find it very difficult to methodically and systematically create emotional engagement. They also find it challenging, if not impossible, to measure and monitor these emotional connections when they occur.

As a result, when it comes to building a strong brand marriage, many tech companies are left at the altar.

Committed customers

Thanks to some groundbreaking work done by the Gallup Organization around the theme of brand engagement, brand singleness will soon become a thing of the past.

In his insightful book, Married to the Brand, Gallup draws on global research and development efforts between 2000 and 2004 to define the emotional attachment necessary to bond a customer with a brand. More importantly, they illustrate the basic principles involved in creating the ultimate brand relationship (brand passion) and driving customers to the point where they feel like no other brand will work.

Fortunately for tech companies, the investigation doesn’t stop with luxury retail brands like BMW cars, Armani suits, or Louis Vitton handbags. It also includes those difficulties in establishing brand relationships between IT administrators and their software providers or between doctors and pharmaceutical companies.

Research highlights include:

*There are crucial differences between a customer and an engaged customer. Don’t settle for simply winning a customer. Instead, strive for customer engagement.

* What it takes to initially attract a first-time buyer is quite different from what it takes to turn that buyer into a fully engaged customer.

*It is the total brand experience, and not just a few isolated elements, that determines the health of a brand marriage.

*It takes more than trust to build a long-term brand relationship. You must also have a passion for the brand.

* Emotions are powerful, profitable and measurable.

*Every time a customer touches a company, the relationship with the brand can be strengthened. Or it can be decreased.

*Successful brand marriages can only be achieved through company-wide commitment and integrated and aligned efforts.

Why customers say “I do”

The best of Gallup’s research involves a series of questions that measure and monitor the strength of the relationship that exists between a company or brand and its customers. As part of its findings, Gallup found that strong answers to these questions are directly related to increased market share, revenue, profit, and customer retention—just the kind of research and validation that emotional CFOs can sink their teeth into. .

The questions fall into two basic categories. The first three questions measure customer satisfaction; the last eight measure the strength of the customer’s commitment to the brand.

We have a 5-point scale from “extremely” (5) to “not at all” (1):

*Overall, how satisfied are you with [Brand]?

*How likely are you to continue to choose/repurchase/repeat (if necessary) [Brand]?

*How likely are you to recommend [Brand] to a friend/associate?

We have a 5-point scale from “Strongly Agree” (5) to “Strongly Disagree” (1):

*[Brand] is a name I can always trust.

*[Brand] always delivers what it promises.

*[Brand] He always treats me fairly.

*If a problem arises, I can always count on [Brand] reach a fair and satisfactory resolution.

* I am proud to be a [Brand] [customer/shopper/user/owner].

*[Brand] always treats me with respect.

*[Brand] is the perfect [company/product/brand/store] for people like me.

*I can’t imagine a world without [Brand].

According to Gallup research, the answers to these questions indicate with remarkable accuracy whether your customers consider you a lifelong partner or a one-night stand. More importantly, they point out areas where companies can take focused action to build the relationship and strengthen the brand.

The reality is that your customers are eager to tell you about the status of their relationships with your brand. Plus, they’d love to help you make those relationships even better. Wedding bells may ring for your brand, but only if you ask the right questions, listen carefully to what your customers are saying, and take appropriate action based on what you hear.