Building Your Brand’s Core Touchpoints

But which touchpoints?  There are so many. So set some priorities and imagine you are your customer. A website is an obvious place to start, but packaging or trade show events might be your next priority. Delivery people engage customers all the time, so apparel and vehicles might be a key touchpoint.  

Consistency is the foundation of brand recognition. And to evaluate how consistent your brand is, just walk through a purchase from a typical customer. If you’re a member organization, walk through the sign up process. For a restaurant, consider the web search process and menu / dining out websites. Those could be the first stop to experiencing your brand. So, from that search result to the website to receiving menus at the table. That process has places customers encounter your brand.

Every business is a bit unique, but getting these obvious touchpoints working together in a system really is the key to earning visual recognition in the market.
Think about the whole range of potential marketing channels including physical environments like retail storefronts, signage, offices, conference rooms and trade show booths/systems. This sort of informal audit of touchpoints is a fundamental first step to evaluating brand consistency, brand disconnects and brand opportunities.

Here’s a diagram of the kinds of touchpoints we’re talking about. Just imagine walking through the process of a new customer and identify where it’s appropriate. Even a reply email after a purchase is a really key chance to be friendly and say thanks from your organization for joining, or buying or donating. The point is, simple things can be big things.