Consumer behavior is an analysis of customers and their attitudes toward purchasing a particular product or using a service that meets their needs. It is the study of consumers’ actions that drive them to use a service or purchase a product. For marketers, it is essential to understand consumer behavior as it allows them to better relate to their customers’ expectations. To influence consumer behavior, it is important to establish a connection between brands and audiences. And for that, marketers need to apply effective brand management strategies. But before that, first let’s understand what a brand perception is.
What is Brand Perception?
Brand perception is the total of a consumer’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences about a service or a product. In other words, brand perception is the sum of consumer behavior which tells how they wish to purchase a product or use a service. It is what people believe that a brand represents. While brand impression is a mental association, it is critical when attempting to connect emotionally with consumers. When deciding between competing products, people examine their attitudes towards brands. They browse reviews, talk to customer service representatives, discuss their options with friends, or join up for a free trial. All of these touchpoints influence brand perception and, hence, a company’s success. Remember, when customers value a brand, they become more loyal to it.
How is Brand Perception Measured?
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Facts and numbers can help organizations understand how stakeholders, consumers, competitors, and employees perceive a brand. As brand perception incorporates social interaction, experience, reviews, consumer use, social interaction, advertising, and functionality, a variety of sources is required to measure it. To measure brand perception, marketers can use:
Brand Audit
Marketers can utilize brand audits to evaluate their brand’s perception and compare it with its competitors. This involves primary and secondary target audience reach, an in-depth analysis of the brand’s communication strategy, a competitive study of products and services, and a deep insight into their brand positioning.
Social Listening
Marketers can use social listening tools like Google Alerts to monitor internet remarks. By doing this, they can keep an eye on relevant hashtags, social media comments, forums like Quora and Reddit, online reviews, and new mentions. This dataset will increase in tandem with the brand. So, it is better to create a mechanism for dealing with bad comments quickly and stay on top of conversations about your brand, goods, and marketing initiatives, which in turn, will help you understand your target audience and make relevant strategies.
Customer Data
Professionals working in brand management teams can collect data from customers at every stage of their buying process. This can involve how consumers get information, assess items, compare rivals, make a purchase choice, communicate with customer service, onboard, and connect with the business after the sale. When a company has adequate data to measure brand perception, it can then determine whether customer sentiment matches your brand identity. If it matches, stick with it. If not, you may discover how to increase the consumer impression of your brand.
Brand Perception Surveys
Businesses can conduct brand perception surveys to know what people think of their products/services and how it is performing against competing brands. The questions on the survey must touch on the action-oriented, cognitive, and emotional factors of the people. Questions like: “How would you describe it (the brand) to someone?”, “When you think of (the brand), what words come to your mind first?”such questions can be added to the brand perception surveys.
How Does Brand Management Affect Choices?
Branding is critical to the success of any company. Aspects such as rapid recognition can genuinely sway a consumer’s judgment in favor of a product. This is a complicated subject that combines parts of consumer psychology with marketing principles. Here are some ways in which brand management impacts consumer choices on buying or using a product/service.
Buying Decisions
When a person is having some problem with a particular product, they would either make a decision to replace it with a new item or want the issue to be resolved. And this is when brand management impacts consumer choices. To make a purchase, the individual will first do comprehensive research on the item and compare it with other brands. For instance, if a customer loses a mobile and he wants to buy a new one. In this case, he will get two options:
- Buy the same phone.
- Check out other brands to find a desirable phone.
Thus, when it comes to purchasing decisions, well-known businesses have an obvious edge when engaging with customers. After all, a person with little to no understanding of phones is more likely to prefer an iPhone or OnePlus than a phone from an unknown brand, not because of the features, but because the company has gone through rigorous market research and accurate brand decisions to ensure everyone knows who they are.
Creates Loyalty and Trust
Excellent branding will not only attract the target audience’s interest but will also allow them to know the brand better. If done correctly, it may lead to an increase in customer confidence in the brand. When customers trust that brand, they are more inclined to buy its product again, which may eventually lead to brand loyalty which is essential for constant sales and brand growth. Brand marketers must ensure that consumers realize that their brand provides exceptional service and high quality products and make sure that they actually have clients who can attest to this. Remember, a consistent customer experience, a strong social media presence, and excellent online reviews will all speak to the trust and loyalty of your company.
Peer Influence
Neilson states that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family. This means that most of the customers rely on brands from where their friends and family are purchasing things and are happy with the experience. This confidence extends to other products offered by the same brand. So, brand managers should not underestimate the effect of peers on customer behavior. As a result, a marketing approach that emphasizes a brand’s personality and values rather than its pricing or features will connect with consumers more effectively.
Status and Value
There’s a reason why small company owners spend days or weeks evaluating logo ideas before choosing the ideal one. They recognize that their brand image is critical in expressing their value. Plus, the logo, colors, and design aesthetic they select will all have an influence. Furthermore, branding communicates the benefits connected with a brand’s offerings. Many buyers, for example, buy Apple items because of the prestige associated with them. Furthermore, status and prestige express more than simply high price and also convey quality and reliability.
Consumer Perception
When brand marketers create a clear message to associate with their brand, the customers may also connect with the message and consider trying the brand. If the message is consistent and memorable enough to capture and maintain the target audience’s attention, it’s almost like a seed placed in their thoughts, one that will begin to sprout over time into their brand perception. It is the personal perception of a brand’s products or services that consumers have formed in their thoughts. If this perception matches the demands of the customers, there is a significant probability that they will build brand loyalty.
Brands That Influenced Consumer Behavior Greatly
Apple
Apple is an excellent example of a powerful brand. It creates visually beautiful, inventive technology that is one-of-a-kind. It also advertises its products in a way that resonates with consumer aspirations.
This brand has followers who would stand in queue for hours simply to be the first to get their hands on the newest iPhone. This in turn, has made the brand successful in intriguing their audience and keep launching new products for them – who feel Apple’s products make their lives better, more fun, and more meaningful.
Netflix
It is an online streaming brand that has disrupted the entire industry by offering an amazing customer experience. What makes it stand out from its customers is its personalization feature for movies and series selection. The other benefit is the broader choice of outputs they provide. Furthermore, when you build a profile on their site, you may select the titles you want so that their algorithm can determine which choices fit you best. Suggestions improve as you watch, and you’ll be addicted to Netflix in no time. “See what’s next” is the true meaning behind their tagline. In this way, it has hooked its target audience and is successful in generating high revenue.
Final Thoughts
Branding has a large influence on customer behavior. Instead of concentrating on less appealing characteristics such as cost, brands can focus on articulating the value that they will offer to consumers’ lives. Remember, the importance of brand alignment with customer values cannot be overstated.
Since branding and brand management are the driving forces to make a business a successful one, it is important to create effective branding tactics. Only good brand marketers with skills in this field can make it happen. To become one, you can consider enrolling yourself in the Executive Programme in Brand Management by CEP, IIT Delhi, as this programme covers contemporary brand management topics, delivered by eminent IIT Faculty and Industry Experts; and overall provides a comprehensive learning experience via online lectures. So, why wait? Enroll today!
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