I could quote a plethora of articles that focus on what market strategists say how brand management influences consumer behavior but no one would actually read it..

Instead I thought I could focus on why people begin to build a 'brand loyalty' to certain people or even a certain sales person over another.

                                                                            

In reality it's very simple, we all know that people do business with those they know, like and trust.  Now I need one of those red Staples buttons to say, "That was Easy!"  That's brand loyalty... People simply will continue to purchase a brand, or individual, they feel safe with and are familiar with.  It's technically called consumer behavior but it's not always about consumers and sales people either.

How do you get more clients.. are you a good prospector?  Have you dated much?  My girlfriend continues to date me because, thankfully, she knows, likes and trusts me!  She's brand loyal to the Rick Demko brand!  We often talk about relationships with our clients and how important it is to post sell and to massage them for leads.  I know of sales people that do much more than send popcorn tins around the holidays..

Brand Loyalty is the consumer's conscious or unconscious decision, expressed through intention or behavior, to repurchase a brand continually.  When we get past the 'trusted adviser' position, I often talk about, and when the chips are really down, to a brand loyal customer you can do almost no wrong.  Now that doesn't mean I'm going to take my relationship with Kelly for granted and force her to search for a new brand.  It just means that when you have that loyalty you can stay out a little longer than you could in the beginning.. just don't abuse the freedom and leverage the advantage to strengthen the relationship!

The image surrounding a company's brand is the principal source of its competitive advantage and is therefore a valuable strategic asset.  Unfortunately, many companies and sales people, are not adept at disseminating a strong, clear message that not only distinguishes their brand from the competitors', but distinguishes it in a memorable and positive manner.  Case in point, ask a sales person for their 'elevator speech' and see if you really understand what it is they actually said.

The challenge for all brands is to avoid the pitfalls of portraying a muddled or negative image, and instead, create a broad brand vision or identity that recognizes a brand as something greater than a set of attributes that can be imitated or surpassed. In fact, a company should view its brand to be not just a product or service, but as an overall brand image that defines a company’s philosophies. A brand needs more than identity; it needs a personality.

Just like a person without attention grabbing characteristics, a brand with no personality can easily be passed right over.  A strong symbol or company logo can also help to generate brand loyalty by making it quickly identifiable.  I even found that colors are undeniably affective.

And no that doesn't mean that having bright pink hair is an effective why to strengthen a romantic relationship!