A Tribute to Steve Jobs – How to Build a Brand That Lasts
Apple was built on a branding strategy that focuses on emotions. The Apple brand has created customer loyalty with a heartfelt human connection.
“I get asked a lot why Apple’s customers are so loyal. It’s not because they belong to the Church of Mac! That’s ridiculous. It’s because when you buy our products, and three months later you get stuck on something, you quickly figure out [how to get past it]. And you think, “Wow, someone over there at Apple actually thought of this!”…. There’s almost no product in the world that you have that experience with, but you have it with a Mac. And you have it with an iPod.”
Steve Jobs —Bloomberg Businessweek, October 12, 2004
Your company or organization’s brand includes the whole customer experience. It is what you stand for, your actions and the customer promises you make. Your brand also includes the visuals like your logo, color palette, slogan and other creative design elements. How do you want your brand to communicate to your audience?
As Apple has shown us, branding is crucial for products and services. It’s also important because it helps you emerge from the clutter of your competition. Your brand needs to consistently tell your prospective customers and customers why they should buy from you. Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business or organization no matter the size or focus.
Here are the top 3 branding tips we’ve learned from Steve Jobs:
Design Matters: Each Apple product and service is thoughtfully crafted. Design is what catches the eye of your customers and reels them in to find out more.
Be innovative: Steve Jobs is the master innovator. He was always striving to be ahead of the curve and the fastest at solving problems. Steve taught us to never feel comfortable in your job because that is when your competition is passing you up.
Have the courage to be different: Not only did Steve want Apple to stand above the crowd, but he constantly wanted to do the opposite of what was expected. He doesn’t try to cater to everyone, but to his target audience. This is what is required to create a truly prominent brand.
“Design is not just what it looks like. Design is how it works.”
– Steve Jobs