Although it may seem that your brand and the supply chain appear to be completely separate parts of your business, they are actually two integral parts of one. They create what the marketing world refers to as the “branded supply chain”.
Although it may seem complicated at first, the concept behind it is very simple. Your supply chain management will have a major impact on your brand. The branding of your business will also have an impact on your supply chain.
The idea is to increase both via this symbiotic relationship. Here are the facts.
Also read: What is Distribution Management and Planning?
Inspire Customer Loyalty
Long-term success is dependent on customer loyalty in today’s highly competitive business environment. Stats show that landing a new client can be five times more expensive than keeping an existing customer. It is precise because of this that a customer-centric marketing strategy should always be your top priority. You want to build customer loyalty through every aspect of your business, including branding and supply chain management.
It’s not enough to tell your customers a story. You need to build a transparent and innovative branding campaign. You must ensure that your supply chain keeps these promises.
Listen to your customers to understand their problems and needs.
- Encourage customers to post comments and reviews on social media.
- Social media monitoring tools can be used to identify keywords that are relevant to your supply chain, and to track mentions of them on social.
- You can send online surveys by email or SMS.
- Meet with your top customers in person or by phone.
Your customers’ reviews and comments, whether positive or negative are invaluable in helping you to understand the main issues that affect your supply chain. They allow you to get to know your target audience better and help you build stronger relationships.
Intel’s “Just Say Yes” campaign is a good example of this. They discovered that many of their customers were dissatisfied with the quality and speed of their processes. They realized that maintaining a healthy supply chain was crucial for survival in the IT industry. So they combined data analytics and customer feedback to give their supply chains a significant boost. The following were addressed by them:
- Providing faster order to delivery
- Reduce lead times
- Reduce errors in demand forecasting
- Reduce inventory
- Customers faster service
You want to create a user-centric supply network that delivers exactly what a customer needs when it is needed. All marketing and branding strategies will be futile if you don’t provide true value for your customers.
Transparency in Your Branded Supply Chain
Transparency is one of the most important brand values. Transparency is a key brand value. It’s a term that is often used in marketing campaigns and business meetings. However, transparency has a significant impact on the consumer’s perceptions. Did you know that 9/10 customers will abandon a business without transparency
Instead of trying to convince the public, you need to be transparent and earn the brand’s status. Buffer stresses that transparency is something you choose and live by. Implementing it with your supply chains could be a great place to start:
Integrate transparency and marketing to make your brand more human.
Customers will be interested in knowing where your products and materials are made. Chopard, a Swiss luxury jewelry manufacturer, has announced its support for Fairmined schemes. Their goal is to show that their jewelry is made from responsibly mined gold and tell the story of how it came about. This will bring emotional benefits to each customer and make a difference in the way they feel about their purchase.
Show your brand’s social responsibility.
Customers want to know that your company does not exploit workers, particularly if you are in the fashion industry. Remember Zara’s refusal to pay their workers in Turkey. Popular and affordable brands such as H&M are now seen as ethical options for price-conscious shoppers because of this.
Make your environmental message stand out to today’s customers.
People will be interested in knowing if your products are not harmful to the environment before they buy them. They want to see that you are a good person and that your processes support the environment. Keep this in mind when you are branding and planning your supply chain strategy.
This is exactly the Campbell Soup Company’s approach. The Campbell Soup Company has launched a waste reduction campaign that saved them $4.5 million by reducing packaging sizes. Their plants are powered by the waste of their products, which makes them stand out among their competitors.
Promote transparency customer-stamped
Online reviews are more trusted than branded content by consumers. To gain trust, you should post user-generated content, customer reviews (both negative and positive), and testimonials from customers.
Also read: Brand Identity: What is it? And How to Build A Strong Brand Identity
Ensuring long-term growth for your brand
You must consider your business’ growth when branding your supply chain. You want to develop a solid branding strategy early in your business’s life. This strategy will help you future-proof your company in the competitive marketplace by emphasizing its unique culture, values, and brand.
Your goal is to brand your supply chain and become a “mission brand” over time. You must stand out as the brand that everyone will love and remember in a sea of companies with little soul and substance. You must be approachable, relatable, honest, open, and engaging to achieve this goal. When you combine brand values and supply chain management, your brand will be a household name that everyone knows.
Ella’s Kitchen, an organic baby food business, is one example. Their brand mission has been clearly defined by them. This highlights that their priority is to improve children’s lives and foster healthy food relationships. All products are certified by UK Organic Farmers and Growers, in accordance with the transparency rules. They publish regular social impact reports and emphasize their primary goal of making 100% of the product packaging recyclable, and eliminating palm oil from their supply chain.
Customers will trust supply chains businesses that are more prominent in their niche. Customers will choose to purchase from companies that make the right decisions for them. This should be your primary goal when branding your supply chains, just like Ella’s Kitchen.
Final Thoughts
The supply chain and the brand are not separate entities. They are not two separate entities. Together, they ensure long-term company growth. You can deliver on your brand promises while future-proofing your business with a branded supply network.
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