It’s been estimated that more than 200,000 people around the world proudly display a Harley Davidson tattoo on their bodies. Body art of Fender Guitars, Apple, Red Bull, and Chevy Trucks have also been permanently emblazoned on loyal customers’ skin. In these cases, the brand connection is so powerful that patrons express loyalty as a core part of themselves. The affiliation speaks to who the person is, what they believe, and how they choose to live their life. The corporate emblems represent more than a pretty logo; they represent a lifestyle.
Now think about your brand. What are the odds of a customer permanently affixing it to his or her body? Does your company forge a tattoo-worthy connection?
If you’re focused on cutting costs, delivering the bare minimum, and extracting every ounce of advantage for internal stakeholders, your customers will see and feel it. They’ll be seeing red and you’ll likely end up using red ink yourself at some point. On the other hand, if you relentlessly obsess over delivering extraordinary value, you’ll stand out from the competitive herd and form a tattoo-worthy connection.
You may be thinking…. Okay, that’s fine for motorcycles and guitars, but certainly industry matters. There probably are not too many tattoos of life insurance, pest control, or antacid companies, right? While probably true, the thought process still applies. If a customer were to tattoo themselves with the logo of one company in the medical supply, industrial cable, or financial services industry, would it be yours? If not, what changes should you make to elevate your brand and customer connection to the point where you’d be the obvious – and only – choice?
Deep loyalty is earned by being a merchant of wow, not by offering points, miles, or gimmicks. It is created by standing for something bigger than quarterly earnings. The more you can align your brand promise with the ideals, dreams, and core beliefs of your customers, the more tattoo-worthy you’ll become. If you’re looking to reach new heights and build a brand connection that transcends your basic products and services, reflect on the changes you can make to reach tattoo status with your customers. Even if you never see your logo displayed on the arm or back of a customer, every step toward an elevated level of customer engagement will drive exponential value to your long-term potential.
Make your company tattoo-worthy, and you’ll “ink” your path to success.