Brand identity is one of the very most important when it comes to business. Even experts agree that brand identity is essential for retailer success. They say that brand identity is crucial, because that’s what separates you from your competition. Also, the brand is the aspiration the customer wants to buy; it’s the core truth of the brand.
Studies suggest that shoppers build relationships with brands because of shared values. As every customer put more importance on that, and less on price, retailers have an opportunity to distinguish themselves from competitors. In fact, it’s not only an opportunity — it’s a necessity.
Your brand is a story you tell to the world with the hope that it will resonate, and consumers will want to associate themselves with your brand. Because nowadays, retailers are no longer just product suppliers because they’re now becoming lifestyle partners, entities with which consumers are building relationships with the customers.
While for retailers with brick-and-mortar shops, it is way beyond just having a brand identity. It is a must to bring that identity to the shopping experience. Here are some ways retailers can do just that.
Here are the puzzle pieces or the components which builds the totality of your brand identity. These are the factors that you need to focus on and establish in order to build a good image and identity.
These actually play around the 5 senses of the human meaning you have to master every aspect for you to have your effective brand identity.
Let’s start with your Logo. Along the topic of visuals, your logo is an essential component to your identity. As part of your brand identity process, you will have a logo that embodies that identity. And that logo needs to play a part in the in-store experience.
A brand’s identity should be backed up by a strong logo. Also, the whole package needs to work together in order to be successful.
So, what you must keep in mind is that it’s not a matter of slapping the logo everywhere there’s a space for it. It must be strategic. Your logo can be placed anywhere on product displays, receipts, shopping bags, price tags, and more. It’s important to not overwhelm customers, but not underwhelm at the same time. This all depends on your brand identity.
Next on the list will be about your Color Scheme. Consumers can step into a target store and see red in a good way contrary to what they say that it represents bloody and negative images. In fact, color increases brand recognition by up to 80%.
But smaller retailers can use color to establish their brand identity as well. Choosing colors is extremely important, and it can have a psychological impact on customers. Certain colors evoke certain emotions.
Red evokes excitement, boldness and youth. Health and wellness retailers might go for grays or greens, to spark feelings of peace, calm, balance, and health. Blue on the other hand is associated with trust, purple with creativity, orange with friendliness, and yellow with optimism. Choose the colors that represent your identity and the impression you want to make upon consumers.
Then you have Music. Having the right music can also enhance your brand identity through the shopping experience. It goes beyond the type of music — thinks about the volume as well.
While you may not want your storefront to sound like a loud club, the point is that creating a soundscape in your store further solidifies your brand identity. So, offer due consideration to the background tunes playing in your shop.
Of course, we can’t set aside Scent. What gives advantage to many stores is when they utilize scent. If you pass by the store in a shopping mall, for instance, you might smell it before you see it. Because they spray fragrances in the stores, it creates a specific identity and emotional reaction from customers. That’s the power of scent marketing.
Much like colors, it’s been scientifically proven that smells affect mood and perception and can have strong effects on emotional reactions. That’s why yoga studios often use calming lavender scents to create an experience for students.
Think about how you want your customers to feel and identify scents that will evoke that feeling. Bonus points if you sell those fragrances!
Last but not the least is Lighting. Lighting doesn’t only help customers see your products; it also contributes to the shopping experience. While some retailers may think bright lights helps the products shine more, it may not be an accurate representation of the brand.
Children’s stores can get more creative and playful with the lighting, while Sephora needs the bright lights so customers can test out cosmetic products and see them clearly. If you want customers to feel relaxed and calm, dim the lights. If your identity is more energetic, go brighter.