Why Every Brand Touchpoint Shapes Customer Perception

WORDS: Ocean Road Editorial Staff PHOTOGRAPHY Pexels

There is a wide range of tools to promote a company and create the image of the brand that will attract new customers. However, such important elements as logos, websites and advertising campaigns cannot stand separately and shape an idea in the minds of clients without further interactions. Usually, a client needs time to decide whether a particular brand suits his or her interests or not, and during that period, he or she uses multiple different touchpoints to learn something new about the company. An online video, a business card received at a networking event, an e-mail sent as a response to a question asked online, an unboxing video – all this makes customers form a certain attitude to the company, and it includes both physical and virtual touchpoints. Understanding this fact is the key to creating a good image of the brand.

Brand Perception Is Built Through Every Interaction

The way in which a brand interacts with the client usually goes through several stages. Firstly, there is a moment of discovering the website, and the general impression leaves. Then, a customer may receive an e-mail with the confirmation or promotion information, and it should either confirm the impression received earlier or change it to the contrary. The contact with a sales representative also plays an important role in this case, as it can reinforce or undermine the feeling of trust created during interaction with the website. Consistency across channels is crucial in the process of creating a strong impression about the company.

Physical Brand Touchpoints Still Influence Customer Experience

Despite the modern belief that branding occurs only on the Internet, many physical touchpoints also have a great influence on the impression that a client creates about the brand. First of all, it concerns the way in which the product or service offered by the brand is delivered and presented. For instance, the first physical item related to a brand which the client receives is a packaging of the product. It influences the expectations of the client and sets a certain tone which determines his or her future attitude. A well-presented product shows that the company cares about its reputation and the impression that it leaves while poor packaging suggests the opposite thing.

Besides, printed marketing materials still play an important role in industries that require establishing trust. Brochures, business cards, labels, and other printed materials have a significant impact on forming the perception of the brand by the client. Even a well-thought-out design of the label can significantly contribute to the creation of the desired impression.

Even rather small and insignificant branding elements can also significantly influence the impressions of the clients. For instance, custom stickers can be used on product packaging, branded envelopes, promotional giveaways, shipping boxes, event collateral, etc. In case they are consistent with the main branding of the company, these items can be useful for strengthening the recognition of the company.

None of these elements should cost much money and be elaborate in order to have an effect. The only thing that is necessary is to make sure that they reflect the image created online.

Consistency Builds Trust and Recognition

One of the advantages of brand consistency is that it helps to build trust in the company and increase the chances of attracting more clients. Consistent use of the same colours, typefaces and messages in all channels of communication helps the client to recognize the company at once. He or she knows how the websites look and can recognize the company by some details without looking at the logo or the name of the company. Thus, the client starts to trust the company and is ready to return and purchase from it again.

On the contrary, inconsistency in different channels makes the company look disorganized. The client forms some expectations regarding the website, packaging, print materials, and the company does not fulfill them because of the difference in style. As a result, the client loses faith and stops trusting the company.

Small Details Often Create the Strongest Brand Memories

Sometimes, small details become the strongest memories associated with a certain company or brand. Such things as opening packaging, the quality of labeling, handwritten letters included in the orders, or branded merchandising which remains with a client for many months become unforgettable moments which shape a person’s impression about the company.

Unboxing experience with all the details included makes the customer understand that the company cares about the details. Cohesive print materials with the visual identity of the company make the same impression. None of these details sells a product on its own, but together they help to build the kind of relationship with the client that makes him or her return to the company and speak about it to other people.

Building a Brand That Feels the Same Everywhere

Every interaction of a client with the company leaves an impression, and it does not depend on whether it occurs in the virtual or physical environment. Consistency of the offline and online branding is crucial for making a good impression about the company and attracting new clients. Companies that pay enough attention to every touchpoint tend to build good images of the brands that leave good memories and make clients return.