How to build a brand that is loved? Advice from businessman Oleksandr Sivak
Today, every businessman tries to create not just a business, but a brand that customers will love. This is the so-called lovemark. It is about high customer loyalty, orientation and love. Oleksandr Sivak is an Odesa journalist, businessman, publisher of the specialized publication "Shipping" and the brainchild of the Strateg online store of toys and board games. He knows from his experience how to build a lovemark.
The future of brands for Lovemark
Now it is no longer possible to just create a good business or just a brand. Significant changes have taken place in marketing. Customers want a brand they can trust, a product that will provide high value. That is, it is not just a toy that a child plays with, but a toy that is interesting, develops, and unites families. This is exactly what lovemark is - it is a brand that is loved.
Thus, I set myself the goal of building a business and a brand of children's toys, board games and paint-by-numbers - Strateg.
I didn't want people to just become customers by buying products. Building close relationships is important to me.
In creating the toy store and, by compatibility, the trading house, Strateg, I focused on the fundamentals of human nature. What does the child want? Of course, to play, because it is children's nature. And what do the parents of this child want? Of course, for the child to have fun, develop and receive information through the surrounding world. That's what I put into Strateg.
A separate direction of the Strategist is board games. Here, my philosophy is to unite the family. Agree that many remember family evenings playing Lotto. So board games are more interesting and lively.
So, what does Lovemark consist of:
- valuable component. The brand should appeal to values and carry positivity. It's more than money;
- communication component. If the brand communicates with consumers, then they begin to promote it themselves. An emotional connection with the buyer is important. This has always been possible, but modern communication technologies have made it easier to communicate with the audience. You need to make your customers want to share with friends and family, for example, the board game they recently bought.
How to create a Lovemark
- Determine who you are selling to
Even experienced entrepreneurs make this mistake - they don't know who they are selling to. That is, they are not familiar with and do not research their target audience. The brand always knows who it is aimed at. For example, Strateg toys are toys for the whole family. When our team creates toys, we already know who will play them.
2. Involve the buyer in active interaction
A favorite brand is not something illusory, it is something that is nearby. Emotions play an important role today. Emotional engagement is the engine that creates true brand loyalty. By communication with the buyer, I mean presence in social networks. When the brand speaks, talks about new products, shares details from "life", shows the processes and stages of product creation.
3. Be on social networks
A business that does not exist on the Internet does not exist. People spend 80% of their time on social networks. So it is logical that the favorite brand should be there.
4. Create a positive environment around
The situation in the country is difficult, everyone has a heightened degree of emotionality, but people need positive emotions. Lovemark can show that life goes on. The brand opens up new opportunities thanks to which people can become participants in events themselves. For example, the Strateg online store team released a series of patriotic board games during the full-scale invasion. These are "Oh in the meadow...", "Say Palyanitsa", "Good evening, we are from Ukraine", "Russian warship go to the... bottom". They are in great demand because the whole family can play.
5. Be real - show real care
For the lovemark brand, it is important to pay attention and care. We are always in touch with our clients.
6. Create a new world
People can practically "live the brand". Strateg toys are a wonderful and interesting world for the whole family.
