Why Building Relationships Is The Future Of Brand Engagement

We’re living in a new era of digital—one where people are skeptical of brands and their intentions. In fact, people are more skeptical of brands than ever before. According to the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in business in America has fallen another 5% since 2021. I don’t know about you but when I’m shopping on Amazon, the reviews of other consumers make the biggest impact on my decision-making, even more than brand names or price point.

With the changes that Web 3.0 and Data Privacy are bringing, now is the time to start thinking about what’s next. In this article, I will share how our team is preparing for what Meta calls “The Great Relationships Reset.”

Recalibrating How We Connect: The Great Relationships Reset

Our team has been brainstorming for the last few months on ways to help our clients get a better ROI across their digital efforts. During our meetings we agreed that people want to feel valued, heard, and unique. As we looked to narrow this down to a single word, we landed on the word “relationship.” People are craving relationship. Meta recently sent out an email about the future of brand engagement and their article said:

“The pandemic transformed our social relations and how we communicate. As people shift toward cultivating a smaller circle of close connections, more immersive technologies are being used to help build stronger relationships between individuals and with brands.”

Meta

Pay attention to what that statement is saying. People are shifting toward cultivating a smaller circle. What does cultivating mean? It means to foster the growth of, to develop. So people are looking to develop fewer, but stronger relationships. And not just with other people, but with brands as well.

This is a fundamental shift that requires businesses to start thinking about how they can be more intentional about connecting with people and providing guidance for their team members. The goal is to establish a loyal tribe, not a crowd.

The great news is that we already have a lot of the tools and technologies we need to make this happen. But it’s going to take more time and intentionality than what most of us have been doing up until this point.

How To Create A Strong Relationship On Digital

A strong relationship doesn’t just happen overnight or over a post that goes viral. You have to work at it. The same goes for building a loyal brand following. You need to put in the effort to connect with people and take the opportunities to show them you care about their needs, not just your needs or wants. You need a plan to grow the types of relationships that will keep them coming back and will position your brand as a guide they can trust. We call this a brand connect strategy.

What Is A Brand Connect Strategy?

It’s pretty common to look for a simple solution that will require the least effort, time, and money, but if you want to build trust and establish a loyal brand, this approach will not get you far. A brand connect strategy will help your team connect with people on a deeper level to build a stronger relationship. It will take more time and intentionality, but it’s well worth the effort!

Here are a few basic areas we focus on when laying out a brand connect strategy to build stronger relationships across digital.

1) Know your customer’s journey.

You can’t just show up when it’s convenient for you or when you have a new initiative to launch. You need to be there throughout their entire journey, providing them with the information and support they need at each stage. Only then will they think of you as a trusted resource and advisor.

2) Create a plan to connect with your customers.

Just like any great relationship, you need to have a plan to connect with your customers. This means being intentional about the interactions you have and the content you share. It’s not enough to just post randomly on social media or send out occasional emails. You need to have a strategy that takes into account what your customers want and how you will serve those needs.

3) Stay connected, follow up, and follow through.

The key to any great relationship is communication. You need to stay in touch with your customers, following up with them after each interaction. And, most importantly, you need to follow through on your promises. If you say you’re going to do something, make sure you do it. This will build the trust and rapport that are essential for any great relationship.

Building great relationships with your customers is more important than ever in the digital age. By following these tips, you can create strong bonds that will reset the way your customers think about your brand.

To stand out across all the digital platforms in the future, your business needs to design for connection in order to build trust with your audience. After all, building a relationship takes time and intentionality. If you’re not planning for connections, you’re already falling behind. Feel free to schedule a 30-minute meet and greet to learn more about how Killer Bee Strategies can help you design for connection moving forward.