The Right Way to Brand: How to Sell a Lifestyle Versus Outcome
Take a look around, there is branding everywhere. Every product, place, and public figure that has crossed your path has hopped on the branding bandwagon. This means that they have communicated a deliberate image of themselves to the public in hopes that it will resonate with their target customers or followers. Without a clear reputation, a company or an influencer will struggle to stay relevant. Now, how exactly do you create an impactful brand image? First, you must decide if you are selling a lifestyle or an outcome.
Selling a Lifestyle
When you are buying one of your favorite products, you might think that you are buying it because the look, feel or quality is great - and that might be true. But it’s also likely that you’re buying that product because the brand has indirectly promised you a certain lifestyle. Using this tactic is extremely effective for companies that sell items that are not a means to an end for the consumer. So, what actions can you take to successfully market a lifestyle brand?
Know Your Target Audience
Of course, you need to decide what type of lifestyle you are selling to your customers, but to do that you first need to find out what market to target. For this, you should try customer research, focus groups, and consumer profiling. Once you discover what type of person your target audience desires to become, you will know what type of lifestyle to cater to.
Align With Similar Brands
Most likely, other companies will be selling the same or a similar lifestyle as you. But don’t worry, this can be a great opportunity and may even call for a brand partnership. Aligning with a company that has similar goals can bring in even more followers that subscribe to your lifestyle. If you partnered with another company, wouldn't that mean you have the same values as them?
Lifestyle is Visual
Visual content is a must, especially for lifestyle brands because it is more difficult to communicate through words than an outcome. This is where you can enhance your brand image using high-quality photos and videos that your target audience can relate to. This may be through social, a website, advertisements, or campaigns.
Stay Social
Every brand must use social media to reach its target consumer. For example, using the right hashtags on social is how you find people in your niche. Audiences will follow hashtags that align with the life they want or the one they already have, so don’t skip the hashtag research! You also need to reach out to consumers through the right social platforms. For example, millennials in the fashion industry won’t be as present on Facebook as they will be on Instagram. You will only waste your time if you market through the wrong platforms.
Now that we have covered how to sell a lifestyle brand, let’s move on to outcome-based branding!
Selling an Outcome
Can you think of a purchase that has given you immediate results? How about one that has made your quality of life better? That brand most likely sells its items with a promised outcome. Instead of just simply pushing sales, a company will prioritize a solution to at least one problem that its target audience has. Here are a few ways to create and sell this outcome brand.
Know Your Target Audience
Like the lifestyle brand strategy, you have to know your target audience. First ask yourself, what problem does my product fix? Then ask, who struggles with this type of problem regularly or would benefit the most from this product or service? Again, conducting consumer research and focus groups is incredibly helpful.
Stick to the Facts
A return on investment is exactly what you are offering to your consumers. This, however, is only going to create sales if you can back your offer up with facts. Your innovative skincare product is the best at clearing up acne, you say? Then you will have to communicate data that supports your claim in a clear and readable way to the buyer. The more confident you can make your audience feel about your product, the more success you will have selling it.
Seek Out Endorsements
Similar to backing up your product using facts, gaining real endorsements from real people that align with your target audience is a proven way to gain more followers and consumers. This is best when you use an expert in your industry, which could be an influencer, celebrity, or just someone with a lot of knowledge on the subject. A testimonial that a customer left on your website can generate trust as well. But whoever it may be, shoppers want to know whether your product actually provides the promised outcome or not.
Always Follow Up
It is extremely important to always follow up with your customers or clients after they have purchased something. If you want to maintain an outcome-based brand image, then you must keep consumers happy and ensure the product is delivering the way it is supposed to. You can follow up with surveys through email marketing or connecting with customers on social.