It might sound surprising, but some of the secrets to creating a meaningful connection with your brand's audience draw from the playbook of a therapist's relationship advice. There are 7 key strategies that beauty brand founders can lean on to foster authentic relationships, enhance brand loyalty, and ensure their brand resonates more deeply with their audience.
1. Master the science of storytelling
When you make people feel something, they’ll remember you. A 2017 report from the Harvard Business Review revealed that cortisol facilitates the formation of memories, and that cortisol, dopamine, and oxytocin are released in the brain when we’re engaged with a story. While cortisol underpins memories, dopamine is the ‘feel-good’ hormone and oxytocin is associated with empathy. With this science in play, it’s evident how well-executed brand storytelling can deepen the bond between you and your audience—making them remember you, feel good about you, and better relate to you.
Brands with the upper hand deliver their audiences with stories worth listening to, stories that make them feel something, and expertly sprinkle these narratives throughout every touch point — from their site experience and social content to their digital campaigns.
2. Make your customers feel seen and heard
Just like in any healthy relationship, your audience wants to feel seen and heard. It’s just as important to speak to your audience’s story as it is to your own. Digging deeper to understand your audience’s aspirations, desires, and challenges can enhance your ability to connect with customer-centric narratives that demonstrate your understanding of their world.
Savvy brands gain these insights by facilitating two-way dialogues, thereby building a deeper connection with their tribe. They go beyond typical customer service and social media channels, using innovative methods to connect with their customers—such as customer advisory boards, WhatsApp groups, private Slack channels, and insiders-only Facebook groups to better understand what's on their customer's mind.
3. Surprise and delight your tribe
Infuse your brand marketing calendar with moments of surprise and novelty to keep your customer relationships dynamic. Consider offering unexpected rewards, bonuses, or gifts that create a sense of excitement and anticipation. If controlling cost is on your mind, keep the offer just for your V-VIPS - so you can dig deep. Generosity goes a long way.
4. Gratitude counts
Embed a deep sense of gratitude in your communications, showing heartfelt appreciation for your community's support as you grow your brand. Think personalized thank-you messages or gestures that make your most loyal customers feel recognized and valued.
5. Get a little vulnerable
Customers want brands that are transparent and authentic, so sharing the human side of a brands can go along way. This could mean narratives that display a founder's vulnerability to connect with audiences on a more personal and emotional level. Remember, vulnerability doesn't necessarily mean sharing a sob story; it's about being open and genuine allowing your audience to see the heart, character and values of the people behind the scenes.
6. Carve out some quality time
Develop campaigns and activations that facilitate spending some meaningful time with your customer base. This approach focuses on creating memorable experiences and deeper engagement rather than just pushing for transactions.
7. Put your brand's core beliefs and values on display
Beauty brands that haven’t yet engaged in deep work to define who they are and what they stand for (beyond high-quality products) often limit their social content to products only because there’s no strategy to help them discuss anything else. We’re drawn to people who engage, entertain, and inspire us—and we resonate most with those who share our values. By making your content a beacon for your brand values, you attract a loyal tribe more effectively. It’s the customers who connect with who you are, not just what you sell, that tend to stick around for the long haul.
Once you clearly define what you stand for, big creative ideas for bringing this message to life will start to flow. Whether through brand-building content series, partnerships, or community-building campaigns crafted around your larger message, this is the secret weapon of leading beauty brands that makes their content so much more meaningful and allows them to engage with audiences far more powerfully than others.
As beauty brands venture forward, it’s crucial to remember that a bigger budget for amplifying your message doesn’t guarantee a deeper emotional connection. It’s the creativity and heart behind your message and endeavors that matter more. A compelling story, a genuine customer connection, and a steadfast commitment to your values are the real foundation for making a lasting impression.
At Beautiful Sparks we help founders define their brand, content and community building strategies to get more fanatics in love with their brands. If your brand building strategy could do with a little more TLC, you're welcome to reach out to request a free personalized brand roadmap designed to elevate your brand, sharpen your positioning, and set you on the path for success.
Author: Effie Asafu-Adjaye
Effie Asafu-Adjaye is the Founder of Beautiful Sparks. Beautiful Sparks helps beauty and fashion businesses get more fanatics in love with their brands, by refining their brand strategy, messaging, branding, content storytelling, and community-building strategy. Read more about Effie here. Linkedin
