Treat Your Brand Touchpoints Like a First Date

Look at you! Your brand just scored a first date. Is it wearing a tux or a t-shirt and jeans? Prompt and punctual or fashionably late? Clammy-handed or cool, calm, and collected? And the question on everyone’s mind… will there be a next time? 

That’s the magic of first dates. The anticipation of learning if that person sitting across from you is the perfect fit. Think of the best first date you’ve ever been on. There was a friendly introduction, a little awkward small talk, some baseline get-to-know-you questions, and if you’re lucky, a spark. 

We all want a fairytale ending. The real magic lies in the pages in between. 

Meeting someone new is like peeling back layers of an onion. Shed too much too quickly, and you’ll burn your chances of something truly special. The same is true for your brand. 

You only get one chance to make a first impression. What you say can either have your dating running into your arms or as far in the opposite direction as possible. Whether a love interest or a big pitch, when the other party stops responding to your calls and messages it begs the same agonizing question:

Did I scare them away?

We get it. You’re smart, talented, and have a lot of value to your perspective partner. You’re eager to show off everything there is to know about what makes it special, and you’re proud of it, so you whip out every detail of your offering for anyone who will spare a second. 

Here’s the thing: if you tell your audience everything, there are no pages left to turn. It’s a spoiler, a dead end.

The only thing you’ll be left kissing is your future with that person goodbye.

Another one bites the dust. 

There’s a reason we hate talking to robots instead of real people. Canned responses don’t convert. Neither do overwhelming ones. The person who spills their entire life story on the first date will never get a second.

Get your elevator pitches ready, here are a few tips to put your brand on the fast track to happily ever after:

1. Think like your target audience. No one cares about your brand as much as you do, and no one wants to be sold to. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes, think of the aspects of your offering that are most relevant to them, and scrap the rest (for now). It’ll save you a hefty folder of redundant marketing material.
2. Keep the end goal in mind. We’re not looking for the final step, we’re looking for a step in the right direction. Like any long-term relationship, the nitty-gritty details will come in time, but only if your audience is intrigued enough to pick up the phone. Let your people do the talking, not your slick sheet. It’s more effective, and a coveted opportunity to remind your audience that you’re human.
3. Bite your tongue. Your brand communications are meant to be a conversation starters, not a lecture. Done correctly, they open the door to a real discussion, an opportunity to address each and every prospect’s pain points in a way that is unique and meaningful to them. When you’re looking to kindle that spark, “just enough” is more than enough.

Giving the right information is important. Provoking curiosity is the key. Take this brilliant Lego ad for example:

A purely visual strategy may not work for every brand, but the key takeaway is clear: In a world of ever-increasing stimuli competing for ever-decreasing attention spans, the difference between success and failure is the ability to say more with less. At AtticSalt, we craft every one of your brand touchpoints with the goal of sparking delight and intrigue, not exasperation. 

You get limited opportunities to captivate your target consumer. We’ll help you make them count. Dying to learn more? Contact us today!