When people fall in love, they do so by getting to know their partner’s values, character, and personality.  The same holds true for creating brand love.  If you want to build a lasting, authentic and emotional relationship with your consumer, it must be based on who you are and what you stand for as a brand.

In a world of quarterly reporting, data analytics and KPIs, many brands have lost sight of their purpose and have abandoned the top of the marketing funnel.  It is still extremely important to build awareness and consideration before conversion, so here are a few things to keep in mind to make your consumer fall in love with your brand.

Don’t forget to invest in the long game: Allocate a portion of your budget (even if it's a small percentage), to your branding. Make sure that you're constantly reinforcing WHY you’re better or different than the competition, and that this messaging reinforces brand strategy.  The intangible and emotional connection that consumers subconsciously make comes at the time of consideration and purchase, so continually investing in your brand story has eventual payoffs.

Create and reinforce your identity:  “It isn’t the whiskey they choose, it’s the image.” David Ogilvy’s quote still rings true!  The purpose of branding is to create a distinct and memorable identity that helps to differentiate and communicate your unique value proposition to consumers, build trust, and ultimately drive customer loyalty and preference. Great branding establishes an emotional connection, sets expectations, and contributes to long-term success in a competitive market. Look to Coca-Cola and Apple as best-in-class examples.

Understand your competition and audience:  As much as you hope for the immediate success of a campaign via lead generation -- or even better, sales -- never lose sight of the fact that a product or service must stand out in an oversaturated marketplace.  Be sure you know who else is out there and how you measure up and can set yourself apart.  And to really love your brand, make sure it’s always relevant to your target audience. For instance, do a yearly check-in to make sure you are top of mind.  That can be the difference between stale branding versus great branding.

Be inclusive:  It’s important to consider the multicultural consumers within your target audience, especially because they are typically more brand-loyal.  Research shows that Blacks are 66% more loyal to a brand that reflects their race/ethnicity, and 57% of Hispanics are more brand loyal to brands that respect their heritage. Other tips are to 1) avoid stereotyping 2) use culturally appropriate language and 3) reflect diversity in your marketing materials and advertising.