Today we answer the question on every entrepreneur’s mind: How do I reach more people with my brand in 2021?
We are going to examine a POWERFUL psychological concept known as Attachment Theory, and discuss how your brand can apply this theory to reach your customers on a level that is deeply-ingrained in the human experience. It’s nearly irresistible. And stick around till the end of this episode, so you don’t miss out on an exclusive link to download a must-have resource for you to have on hand as you build your brand in 2021.
Okay so let’s start simply with what you need to know about Attachment theory:
John Bowlby began discovering Attachment Theory in the 1940s while working with emotionally distraught children in London who were evacuated and separated from their families because of World War II. At first, his ideas were considered highly controversial, and because his work departed from traditionally accepted psychological concepts, he was temporarily ostracized from his professional community because his findings threatened the legitimacy of their work. Today, Bowlby’s Attachment Theory is now widely accepted as the most dominant approach to understanding attachment, and understanding how deep and lasting relationships are formed.
So How Can We Use Attachment Theory to Form Deep and Lasting Bonds in Branding?
Now, we’ve all had different experiences in childhood, and I’m not here today to talk about childhood attachment, instead, we are going to focus on the type of brand that creates a foundation for building healthy long-lasting relationships with virtually ANYONE, no matter what their style of attachment.
There are 4 different types of attachment, and as I was doing my research into how this theory can help your brand create strong and lasting relationships with your Ideal Individuals, one style in particular really jumped out at me: Secure Attachment.
Secure Attachment is the healthiest of the four attachment styles, and what really caught my attention, is that research studies have proven that when at least one person in a relationship has this Secure Attachment style, then it doesn’t matter which of the other three attachment styles the other person is using— the relationship still has an excellent chance of forming a strong and lasting bond!
So I began to look more closely at how you can model your brand to have a Secure Attachment style that will intuitively create healthy thriving connections with your Ideal Individuals, no matter what attachment style they happen to have, with the end goal always being to masterfully inspire Brand Loyalty.
Because look, no matter what business you are in, Brand Loyalty is your business plan!
Are you ready for this? It’s exciting stuff! You know we hear so much about relationship marketing, and the importance of humanizing your brand in 2021, but here are some actual goal posts for building a brand that is universally capable of forming strong and lasting bonds with virtually anyone!
Top Three Characteristics of a Secure Attachment Brand.
- Demonstrates a Positive View of Themselves and Others
You don’t hear a lot of people talking about building a brand that demonstrates high self-esteem, but it’s actually a secret sauce. A person may confuse the concept of high self-esteem with being cocky or boastful, but that is not at the heart of what creates true self-esteem. As it applies to this highly sophisticated psychological approach we are taking today, high self-esteem for a brand means that your brand is a rock for your ideal individuals, believing relentlessly in them even when they struggle to believe in themselves. High self-esteem is the result of feeling loved completely by someone who believes that you can do anything no matter how many times you need to try again. Someone who encourages you to get back up when you fall, embraces you when you feel scared, and offers shelter when you need to retreat. A brand that believes in itself this much has the capacity to pass that belief onto the world, and casts an optimistic light upon the difficulties and challenges we all face. It calls upon the world to create brands who believe they can change the world because they believe that anyone is capable of changing the world. A securely attached brand is comfortable with intimacy, allowing their customers into their culture and offering them total transparency. A securely attached brand is comfortable with independence as well, encouraging and celebrating their brand community for striking out on their own to take bold chances that could lead them to a greater future. Brand messaging for a securely attached brand is always for the people, and never against certain groups, or other brands. It stays focused on what matters most: the health and longevity of the relationship between your brand and your brand community. Remember, no matter what business you are in, Brand Loyalty is your business plan.
- Delivers Warm and Responsive Interactions
In relationships, whether they are with people or with brands—consistency builds trust. When your ideal audience feels like they can trust your brand to show up for them with the same warmth and responsive care time and time again, without even realizing it, they begin to bring your brand into their hearts in the EXACT same way they let people into their hearts. It’s a whole new level of brand loyalty, and there are extensive MRI studies to prove it.
Your brand’s relationship with your brand community, while it may not seem as personal as a relationship with friends or family, is far more capable of making a real impact in people’s lives than previously thought possible. These are not purely transactional relationships. Brands can offer support, strength, confidence, and courage. A warm and responsive relationship with a brand has the potential to change a person’s life, give them hope, and guide them on a path toward a greater future. And finally, we have…
- Devoted to Providing Safety, Security, and Protection
To demonstrate this one, I’m going to list some taglines from several Secure Attachment brands, and I want you to see if you can hear the promise of safety, security, or protection in each of them.
Motel 6 “We’ll leave the light on for you.”
“You’re in good hands with Allstate.”
“The happiest place on Earth.”
“A diamond is forever” which is the promise of security in a relationship and unconditional love, right?
How about, “It’s Miller Time” kind of an unexpected one right? But it’s saying you did good, now let yourself have some fun.
Here’s another unexpected one: “Las Vegas: What Happens Here, Stays Here”. It’s like offering membership to a secret clubhouse, right? Where you are safe to be yourself, free from worrying about what the outside world would say.
Airbnb, “Belong Anywhere.”
Campbell’s Soup, “M’m M’m Good.” It’s comforting, and caring.
Calgon, “Take Me Away.” Offers protection and safety.
Crest, “Look Ma! No cavities!”
Greyhound, “Leave the driving to us.”
What about, “Say it with flowers?” Can you hear the security of knowing how someone feels about you in that one?
Are you surprised to learn that any of these brands are actually secure attachment brands? Which ones surprised you the most? Leave it for me in the comments, I’d love to hear what you think. Or if you can think of any other great examples, comment with those too! I’m always looking for new case studies.
So there you have it, a whole new mindset for how to connect your brand with your audience in 2021, and before we recap the Top Three Characteristics of a Secure Attachment Brand— I feel like it’s important to touch on the fact that the entire world is in recovery. The need right now, the raw emotional need for connection, support, and the desire to feel safe, secure and protected is at an all-time high, and the opportunity for your brand to meet those needs is HERE. You are in the right place at the right time to build a brand that can Come Out of Nowhere and Become an Inspiration to Millions. But it’s gonna take heart. It’s going to take YOUR heart, and I am already so proud of you, because I know firsthand the beautiful transformative power of an amazing brand. So get out there, and start building those lasting and meaningful bonds with your brand community.
Thank you so much for joining me! If you enjoyed this blog post, I release new videos every Tuesday and Thursday on FB and IG, so follow me, or subscribe to my YouTube channel, and keep treating these episodes as a masterclass for becoming an Inspiration to Millions with Branding. And as always the way to becoming an Inspiration to Millions starts with our motto: Love What You Do and Love How You Do It.