How to Use Customer Surveys to Build a Powerful Brand Identity

Is your brand actually letting the world see who you are as a business? Sounds like an easy thing to ask, yet a lot of companies can't keep to the vision you began with.

Your brand identity is one of the largest contributors to marketing your business. If it's off target, individuals may leave if they don't think it aligns with their value system or what they're searching for.

Here we are going to guide you through the process in which a survey can assist you to make your brand identity sharper. Surveys are an excellent means to explore what your customers feel and what they expect from you.

Are you ready? Let's get started.

The importance of a strong brand identity

A brand identity tells you so much about being you as a company. It's like the storefront window of your business, creating a sense of what you're all about to a world full of potential buyers. If you desire to attract people and get them to come back for more, you've got to show your brand in a way that really glows.

Some of the largest names in the industry have built their fame by embracing a brand identity that is rock-solid.

The core of a superior brand identity is solid imagery—often starting with a killer logo. The logos that you will see below are ones you'd recognize instantly. They've remained iconic because they're associated with brands that we trust, brands that are about quality, and ones that own the space in the game.

Consider The Huffington Post, for instance—this is a news organization that's always existed online. When it started 17 years ago, it was one of the first there. But as other players entered the market, they decided to mix it up and rebranded as HuffPost in 2016.

The rebranding provided them with a perception that was more comfortable to operate in the digital space and indicated they were sure of themselves. That rebrand has remained since, which appears to indicate it was an intelligent decision. Lydia Polgreen, their editor-in-chief, regarded it as part of a larger reconsideration of what the brand represented.

She even highlighted that "HuffPost" was already what people were referring to them organically. Going with a name people were already comfortable with made it feel natural and just right for them—like it was destined.

How to Conduct a Survey

The questions you include in your survey play a key role in shaping your brand's identity. That's why it's important to make sure both your questions and answer choices are clear and relevant. They should directly address the areas where your brand needs improvement. Here are some helpful tips for surveying to strengthen your brand identity:

Conduct surveys to build buyer personas

Why do your customers continue to return to your brand? More than likely, it's because they feel a connection to it. To build a brand that people can connect with, you need to create buyer personas. These personas allow you to build more compelling campaigns through email, social, and content marketing.

A buyer persona is the typical characteristics of your loyal clients. You are able to obtain demographic information such as age and gender as well as information regarding their interests and history through surveys. Utilize this to make your marketing efforts more targeted and produce content that will connect with your audience on a deeper level.

Determine the issues your product can solve

Every brand needs to tackle a real issue that customers deal with—otherwise, why would anyone pick your stuff over someone else's? The trick is, you've got to first let people know how your products can make their lives better.

One of the most direct ways to determine what's on customers' minds is by posing the question directly to them via surveys. What you find out can inspire new-product ideas that tick exactly where people are sorest, keeping your brand right on target for what people want.

Also, surveys let you get a glimpse at how people are really using your stuff and how you can sell it better. They also illuminate what is annoying people about your product, so you can adjust and keep them smiling.

Apple, for instance, sells itself as user-friendly. They know that the vast majority of users don't care about working with cumbersome settings—a problem many computer and gadget users face. What they prefer instead is a machine that can be used as soon as it is taken out of its box.

That ease of use is one of Apple's greatest selling points, and it is a tactic that has been incredibly successful.

Listen to what people have to say about you

Establishing a good atmosphere about your brand is the key to making it successful. What emotion do you wish your customers to experience? Calmness? Relief? To know how they feel about your brand, simply ask them in a poll. If the response is not as great as you could wish, correct it.

One effective approach is to list both positive and negative adjectives and ask customers to select the ones that best describe your brand. Then, analyze the trends in their responses.

For instance, if 50% of people choose "overpriced," it might be time to reevaluate your pricing strategy. Let these insights guide your next steps in refining your brand identity.

Ask how to differentiate your unique selling proposition

A unique selling proposition (USP) is really just a way of letting potential buyers know why they should buy your brand versus another brand. In order to determine your USP, you can survey consumers and ask if your brand has something the others do not. This will give you an idea of what makes you different.

You can also ask them how your brand might be different or do things differently than other brands.

The best USPs focus on a special quality your brand has and show how it benefits customers. Many USPs are expressed through memorable slogans.

Consider the case of Avis. Within three years, they had raised their market share by 7%, due to the brilliant use of one slogan. Having realized that they were always second to Hertz in the car rental business, they made this an advantage with their campaign, "We're number two. We try harder."

Discover means to change and improve the image

It would be great to add survey questions regarding future changes you will make.

Having your customers review your brand identity with new eyes can reveal areas for improvement that you may never have thought of. To help get as much valuable information as possible, be certain to make room for more in-depth answers in your survey.

Apple gains a remarkable net promoter score (NPS) by hearing carefully to what the customer is saying and responding to it. The moment a negative review is received, it's marked automatically. Within 24 hours, store managers personally call those with low ratings to determine how they can do better.

Conclusion

It's essential that your brand truly reflects your values for long-term success. A well-conducted survey can reveal any areas that may need improvement.

By fine-tuning your brand identity, you'll be able to attract the right customers and strengthen your place in a competitive market. Use these tips to leverage surveys and enhance your brand image. Don't forget to drive high engagement in your surveys for the best results.

Get this correct, and your brand will gain loyal followers who identify with what you believe in.