<p>Sustaining growth isn’t impossible though. In fact, <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/companies-that-thrived-during-the-recession" target="_blank">many of the world’s biggest brands thrive</a> in times of economic uncertainty. How? Keeping a close eye on their budget is certainly one part. But most importantly, they make good use of their current customers. And advocacy is one of the best ways to do that. </p><h2>Gossip, made glamorous </h2><p>It’s the oldest trick in the marketing handbook. Some might argue that it’s been around as long as business itself. But with all the shiny new marketing tactics we have access to these days, we often forget the power of advocacy – or as we like to call it, gossip made glamorous. </p><p>The main value of advocacy is that it drives sales. <a href="https://www.semrush.com/blog/word-of-mouth-stats/" target="_blank">Five times more, in fact, than paid ads</a>. Why? Because content shared by your customers – like reviews, testimonials, photos, or videos – comes across as highly authentic to their peers. And when something is more authentic, it’s usually more compelling as well – because it serves as real proof that you practice what you preach. </p><p>But sales aren’t the only benefit of advocacy marketing. It’s also great for curbing costs. Because when your customers love you, you don’t need to pay them to say nice things – they’ll do it for free. In real terms, businesses save about <a href="https://billo.app/why-is-ugc-so-important/" target="_blank">£57,000</a> per year by taking advantage of user-generated content. That’s more than the salary of an in-house content creator. </p><p>So how do you get those people who buy again and again, to tell their friends about you? </p><h2>The end of the beginning </h2><p>We all know the feeling: after months (sometimes even years) of contemplation, a potential buyer finally takes the leap. Now, at this point, it can be tempting to kick our feet back – after all, we’ve won them over. But really, this first transaction is just the beginning.  </p><p>Now that they’ve purchased, they’re joining a community. An exclusive club of customers, if you like. You can make that club real and tangible through platforms like <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/features/communities" target="_self">Feefo Communities</a>. Or there are other ways to make your customers feel special. The easiest way is to start a conversation. Ask them what they think of your product or service, and respond personally to what they say. This will make them feel seen, heard, loved, and (most importantly) part of something bigger. They’ll start to identify with your brand and advocate on your behalf. </p><p>At Feefo, we recommend you go as far as implementing a complete advocacy program. That means more than just collecting reviews. It’s about switching to a customer-first mindset, and weaving feedback into your organisational culture as a whole.  </p><p>Whether or not you already collect reviews, the idea of having an advocacy program might be new to you. But there’s no time like the present – especially if you want to come out stronger on the other side of the economic storm. </p><p>If you’d like to learn more about the power of advocacy and how it can help you keep costs low as you grow, <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/resources/customer-retention/how-to-get-people-talking-about-your-business-webinar" target="_self">check out our latest webinar</a> or <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/enquiry/get-in-touch" target="_self">get in touch</a> with us directly – we’d love to hear from you. </p>

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<p>In this article, we'll discuss the importance of a strong brand image, how to build one, and the value of collecting and monitoring customer reviews to shape consumer perceptions of your business.</p><h2>What is brand image?</h2><p>Brand image is the impression customers have of a business, shaped by their interactions and experiences, be that positive or negative.</p><p>By developing their brand personality, tone of voice, and other strategic elements, businesses can influence their brand image and contribute to how customers perceive their brand. However, regardless of how it is shaped, consistency is key. The ideal brand image is one that's instantly recognisable by consumers.</p><p>It's often the case that businesses learn from their mistakes as they go in order to improve and strengthen their brand presence, or, in some cases, re-brand entirely. In order to develop and stick to relevant and appropriate branding, knowing and listening to your customers is key.</p><h2>Why is brand image important?</h2><p>Without a consistent brand image, there's no way for consumers to tell businesses apart — and certainly, no reason for them to choose one over another.</p><p>That's why it's no surprise that the most successful companies are usually those with strong branding and values. When a brand presents itself consistently and authentically, it creates a sense of trust and reliability in the minds of customers. They know what to expect and can rely on the brand to deliver on its promises.</p><p>In fact, a <a href="https://sproutsocial.com/insights/data/social-media-connection/" target="_blank">Sprout Social</a> study found 57% of customers will increase their spending if they feel connected to a brand, and 76% will buy from them over a competitor. So there's no denying the importance of brand image.</p><h2>What is the difference between brand image and brand identity?</h2><p>In simple terms, brand image is how people perceive a business, while brand identity is how the company wants to be perceived.</p><p>Businesses have the power to control and shape their brand identity by developing their personality, values, tone of voice, and more. And this contributes to the way their customers think of them – their brand image.</p><p></p><p></p>

<h2>How to build a strong brand image</h2><h3>1. Determine your values and mission</h3><p>Building a strong brand image requires a solid foundation: understanding your brand and its identity. It all begins by determining your values and mission, and this becomes the guiding compass for your brand identity, ensuring that everything you do aligns with these core elements.</p><p>Knowing your mission and values enables you to create a strong brand image that resonates with your audience. In fact — our <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/resources/business-insights/brand-perception-report" target="_self">2021 Brand Perception Report</a> found 74% of Brits always consider a brand’s values before purchasing from them. When consistent, this clear and authentic representation of your brand helps you to be perceived as reliable and trustworthy, building a loyal customer base. A study by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelfertik/2019/01/14/as-trust-among-consumers-wavers-authenticity-is-critical/" target="_blank">Forbes</a> even found 86% of people say authenticity is important when deciding what brands they support.</p><h3>2. Identify your customers</h3><p>A crucial step in building a strong brand image is identifying your customers; before you can effectively connect with them, you must truly understand who they are.</p><p>Take the time to conduct market research and gather insights about your target audience, understanding their demographics, preferences, needs, and behaviours. This knowledge forms the foundation for creating targeted messaging and experiences that resonate with your customers.</p><h3>3. Let your personality shine through</h3><p>Reaching the heights of major brands like Nike and Google may seem a long way off, especially with so many brands now vying for consumer attention both online and off — but every brand has got to start somewhere.</p><p>All of the best and most well-known brands own what they do. They transcend their product by creating a personality that sets them apart from their competitors.</p><p>Giving your brand a distinct voice and persona that your audience can relate to is the first step toward making your business more engaging and memorable to consumers. The oversaturation of products and services across most mainstream industries means that, more often than not, it doesn’t matter how good your product is if your brand personality doesn’t get people excited.</p><p>With so much competition, people will simply go elsewhere as soon as there’s something more interesting, so give them a reason to stick around.</p><h3>4. Spread the word using social media</h3><p>Once you have established a compelling brand identity, you can start promoting it. Brand awareness has always boiled down to one thing: word of mouth. Getting people to talk about you and your brand has been integral to marketing a business for years, and what started in town squares and around office water coolers has now found a new home online.</p><p>Social media has become the platform of choice for businesses looking to grow their brand's online presence. With <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/" target="_blank">4.89 billion social media users worldwide in 2023</a>, It's safe to assume that if your brand isn't present on at least some of these platforms, you're missing out on a huge opportunity.</p><p>For your social media to really contribute towards improving your brand image, you need to be proactive. You must establish your own unique voice that speaks directly to your target market and then work towards establishing a presence that's both engaging and shareable.</p><p>For some, this could mean direct promotion, giveaways and competitions. For others, it could be establishing a social presence that is more personable and indirectly linked to the product or service on offer. There's no right or wrong way to do social; it really is all about understanding your audience and creating content you know they'll engage with.</p><p>The one thing that is universally agreed is that you need to be consistent and active in whatever you do. Post content regularly and engage wherever possible in conversations about your product or industry, using established hashtags to show up in the feeds of people who are interested in your sector.</p><h3>5. Collaborate with influencers and brand partnerships</h3><p>Encouraging respected social influencers in your field to endorse your business in some way can help elevate your brand by introducing it to new audiences. When partnering with reputable individuals or other companies, your brand naturally becomes associated with quality. It starts to be used and spoken about as a brand people respect, trust and ultimately want to buy from.</p><p></p>

<h2>How do customer reviews play a role in developing brand image?</h2><p>It's not only celebrities and industry experts that can act as brand ambassadors. Your existing customers are some of the most powerful advocates your brand has at its disposal, and to ignore them would be a waste.</p><p>A <a href="https://www.inc.com/craig-bloem/84-percent-of-people-trust-online-reviews-as-much-.html" target="_blank">study</a> found that 84% of customers trust online reviews as much as they do personal recommendations. When people hear the real experiences of your customers, it resonates on a personal level and helps to establish trust and confidence in your business.</p><p><a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/features/respond-to-reviews" target="_self">Customer reviews</a> can also help you understand new perspectives through the eyes of customers. And these insights can inform future brand identity decisions, pivots or tweaks that influence what customers think of your brand. And using an independent review platform like Feefo is a great starting point.</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-murrell/" target="_blank">Lauren Murrell</a>, the co-owner of<a href="https://bysarahlondon.com/" target="_blank"> By Sarah London</a>, says that collecting customer reviews with Feefo has helped her brand build consumer trust from scratch:</p><p><em>"Prospective customers can see the feedback from real, verified customers, which further builds that positive feedback loop of trust. At By Sarah London, we are about quality, transparency and trust, which is why Feefo works so well for us. That sense of connection it gives us informs much of what we do. We can connect with customers in a way many other legacy brands cannot."</em></p><h2>What insights can be collected from customer reviews to improve brand image?</h2><p>By paying attention to what customers are saying about your business, you can gain a deeper understanding of how your brand is perceived. That's why the more accurate and insightful data behind review platforms, the better.</p><p>With a customer review platform like Feefo, you can gain access to the following insights:</p><h3>1. Business perception sentiment</h3><p>Feefo automatically analyses your feedback for you, giving you valuable <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/features/consumer-insights" target="_self">insight</a> into <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/features/customer-sentiment-analysis" target="_self">customer sentiment</a>. This can paint a detailed picture of what matters to your customer, helping you assess whether your brand image aligns with your goals. That way, you can address any issues or concerns that may have gone unnoticed before, ensuring your brand development strategy is effective.</p><h3>2. Product quality sentiment</h3><p>The people inside an organisation understand why their products and services are great, of course — but this isn't always felt as keenly by consumers. Collecting reviews lets businesses determine the real opinions on the quality, value and relevance of products directly as seen through the eyes of the people using them.</p><p>Learning whether or not a customer would recommend a product hugely indicates their experience and the likelihood of them reiterating that experience to others.</p><h3>3. Customer experience quality sentiment</h3><p>No matter how strong a brand image, it won’t be able to survive continued poor experiences, and so the customer experience (CX) quality sentiment is one of the most important measures a business can use to determine its relevance and quality.</p><p>The consumer sentiment around a brand's CX can often throw up issues and perceptions that were not considered internally, and is a hugely valuable tool for improvement. No business always gets it right, but they can always work to be better.</p><p><a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/features/nps" target="_self">Measuring (Net Promoter Score) NPS</a> with Feefo can give you an instant snapshot of how your customers feel about your brand by asking about the likelihood of them recommending your service or products to others. This can help you understand where your business is succeeding and how it needs to improve. You can then make informed decisions and take actionable steps to enhance the customer experience and strengthen your brand's reputation.</p><h3>4. New product ideas</h3><p>New product development departments can gain a huge amount of insight for their future direction from business reviews. Common themes around a product issue or customer preferences can help influence future product decisions, increasing the likelihood of creating goods that meet consumer expectations. This, in turn, enhances customer satisfaction and reinforces a positive brand image.</p><p>And Feefo’s performance reports can help you easily <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/features/reporting" target="_self">discover themes</a> in your customer feedback, highlighting opportunities for new products or necessary changes.</p><p>To learn more and discover what your customers really think of your business, read our guide to<a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/resources/business-insights/your-guide-to-feefo-reports" target="_self"> Feefo reports</a>. Or, discover how your business can use customer feedback to its advantage by reading our <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/resources/customer-experience/customer-reviews" target="_self">complete guide to customer reviews</a>.</p><h2>Build a positive brand image with Feefo</h2><p>There’s no doubt that creating a solid brand image is crucial to business success. And customer reviews play a key role in establishing trust and confidence by sharing real customer experiences.</p><p>So why not get started by collecting trusted customer reviews with Feefo? <a href="https://www.feefo.com/uk/business/enquiry/get-in-touch" target="_self">Get in touch today</a> to see how we can help your brand do more to become something memorable!</p><p></p>