Consider This.

What makes us, as humans, tick? I invite you to tap into the deepest attachments in your life, the people and things that you truly love, and think about the mechanisms behind them. How would you describe the feeling of profound connection? Is it a sense of safety and comfort? Is it an impenetrable commitment powered by pride or responsibility? Maybe it’s something even more nuanced. Perhaps the way you feel reflects a helpless need, a knowing that you couldn’t, or at least wouldn’t ever want to love without that something or someone.

Whatever these emotions mean to you, they are powerful. They ensure that you keep coming back despite mistakes that were made, words you wish could be taken back, or broken pieces that seem impossible to put back together. But, loyalty is a conscious choice. It only goes so far in relationships with people, and with brands too. While this might all seem like heavy, complicated stuff, it boils down to something simple: people expect more from brands than they used to. Brands need to form a strong bond, like that of a relationship, in order to beat the competition in this demanding world.

Today, there are forces at work coming from all sides, that make us question our loyalties — like the deceptions of social media, the crisis of our economy, and political divisions to name a few. Brand loyalty simply isn’t enough anymore. People need something they can count on, something that offers them what they cannot get anywhere else. In short, they need brand dependability.

So, how can your brand achieve this seemingly impossible feat? It all starts with a new model. Keep reading to find out what you’ll need to capture the hearts and the minds of your customers for the long haul.

A New Model

While your relationship with another person is best kept for trusted loved ones and qualified medical professionals, your attachment to brands is my area of expertise. The concept of brand dependability is a result of a marketing model that I developed throughout decades of experience working with the science of marketing.

BRANDcebo is a marketing model born out of my own academic research, that revealed how brands have the power to impact our subconscious minds to the extent that our thoughts, identities, even our physiological performance changes. And through my own career, I have developed a framework for brands to elicit the BRANDcebo effect in their audience. Many of these techniques have been used to build some of the most successful and recognizable brands in the world.

In order to use the BRANDcebo model and conquer the qualms of today’s chaotic market, you’ll need to upgrade your current model from traditional brand loyalty to BRANDcebo’s innovative brand dependability model, made for the modern world. So, let’s walk through the three elements of the BRANDcebo model to better understand why.

The Three Elements

The BRANDcebo model begins with going beyond awareness to start priming customers. This means not just securing their knowledge of your brand but gaining a subconscious preference for your brand. Then, surpass perceptions with expectations. More than just anticipation, this is a steadfast belief that your brand performs better than the rest and actually delivers on its promises. Override interest with desire. Intrigue is simply not enough. Your brand needs to be deeply wanted. And finally, transcend loyalty to reach dependability. More than relying on your brand, consumers can actually form a deep attachment, a self-actualizing relationship, where consumers can see the best version of themselves as nearly synonymous with your brand. That means, of course, sheer shock and substantial grief if your brand were to be erased from existence.

Now that we have our goal in mind, let’s go over some real world issues that drive the need for this new model and some practical ways to start working towards achieving BRANDcebo for your brand…

Social Media

Social media has taken over our phones, our free time, and even the spare space in our brains. This means that consumers have become active marketers creating a constant buzz all over the internet. More than ever, consumers are driven to try new things and experiment with new products that are someone else’s “holy grail.” Thousands upon thousands of posts every day flood their feed screaming at them to leave your brand and try something new. In order to combat the high impact impressions influencers can leave on your customers, you’ll need to build a community with your brand that rises above the noise. Work to form connections with your loyal customers that deepen the connection to make your brand feel like family. Use your online identity to offer them a wealth of knowledge with research to prove that your brand offers what none other can.

Economic Crisis

An unstable economy means less money in your customers pockets. Then, of course, they can only shell out cash for crucial items. A shortage of disposable income makes things tough for companies that don’t supply basic needs, like food or housing. However, no matter what’s in their wallets people will always be willing to drop a dime or two on what matters most to them and what they feel they can’t live without. So, target your marketing strategy towards consumers’ needs. Ask yourself, what makes them feel whole? Then, don’t stop at just desire, use the BRANDcebo model in its entirety by tapping into your customers’ identities. Show them that your brand represents who they are and everything they want to be.

Political Division

Fake news is like a wildfire in this modern world. No matter how great the brand loyalty your customers hold, lack of trust in the media surrounding the industry your product or services fall under can cause doubt. If your customers feel a deep connection and a sense of dependency on your brand, they will be willing to overlook that creeping sense of doubt. To bolster their confidence in your brand, create an identity that fosters an authentic emotional connection. Connect with their self-image and be sure to address any news or rumors that might give your customers cause for concern. Keeping them in the know is a great way to show respect and care, just like in any relationship.

Now that we’ve walked through the basics of BRANDcebo and taken a spin through some of the practical applications, it’s time to go deeper and really get to know how to build a deep, emotional bond between your customers and your brand. Buy the book here to discover a brand relationship that lasts.