3 Simple Steps to Craft Your Brand Promise [With Examples]

Starting a new venture can be challenging, and understanding the essentials of building a brand promise is pivotal. When I began my previous job, I participated in a branding workshop where we delved into creating a brand promise. This moment clarified for me that, while having a mission and vision is crucial, it is the brand promise that truly encapsulates the essence of the company and defines individual roles.

Understanding and creating a brand promise is three easy steps. This brand promise is not just a tagline; it’s a commitment that sets your brand apart by highlighting the unique value you offer customers.

The concept of a brand promise, while straightforward, poses challenges. These promises entail high standards and elaborate commitments, shaping how customers perceive and interact with your brand. Let’s explore what a brand promise is, the steps to build your brand promise, and some inspiring examples from well-known B2B and B2C brands.

Keep reading or leap ahead to the section you’re interested in:

What is a Brand Promise?

A brand promise signifies what consumers can anticipate from a brand across all interactions. It stands as the company’s fundamental value, steering every facet of the organization from its messaging to customer service.

This promise should remain a steadfast element of your company, unwavering even when the company evolves. While some brand promises are explicit, others might function more as internal mantras shared with employees, investors, and partners.

If your brand identity and messaging are well-defined, your brand promise will be unmistakable to your target audience.

Brand Promise vs. Tagline

Often, brand promises and taglines can be confusingly similar. However, unlike a tagline, which might be brief and catchy, a brand promise fosters a trust-based relationship with consumers by clearly stating, “This is what you can expect every time you interact with us.“

The essence of a brand promise is practical and reliable. It helps stakeholders to know what to expect, builds consumer trust, and serves as a foundation for all brand interactions.

A Quick Brand Promise Definition

Brand promises are succinct declarations that commit to delivering a specific value to customers. Breaking this promise can harm your reputation and revenue.

For example, if your brand promise is “Innovation at every turn,” but new products haven’t been released for years, this could deter potential customers and damage your brand credibility.

Here are the most common types of brand promises:

• Emotional: A promise targeting consumer emotions.
• Action-based: A promise linked to an actionable commitment.
• Social: A promise founded on ethical or social responsibility.

Why Your Brand Promise is Important

A well-defined brand promise can significantly influence customer sentiment, brand reputation, and more. Essentially, a brand promise functions as a social contract between your brand and your customers.

Although not legally binding, the brand promise signifies that consumers exchange something valuable, often their hard-earned money, for your product or service.

Therefore, taking your brand promise seriously is non-negotiable; failing to uphold it risks losing customers, market valuation, employees, and other stakeholders.

Delivering on your brand promise ensures growth through enhanced trust with your audience and increased sales. So, how do you create such a powerful promise? Let’s walk through the process.

How to Write a Brand Promise

Step 1: Focus on Your Audience

Your brand promise revolves around your audience. Understanding what they need from you—beyond a product or service—to the kind of experience they seek is the first step.

Take, for example, Planet Fitness. They identified a common reluctance among people to join gyms due to fear of judgment. Their brand promise addresses this by fostering a non-intimidating workout environment. This unique promise sets them apart from competitors.

Make your brand promise a reflection of what sets your company apart. Conduct thorough research, create buyer personas, and develop messages that resonate with each persona for better engagement.

Step 2: Consider Your Customer Touch Points

Every interaction, whether in-store or online, forms your brand’s touch points.

Imagine how these interactions play out from the customer’s perspective. If a potential customer spends time on your website without making a purchase, identify the reasons and craft a brand promise that addresses these concerns.

Drafting multiple secondary promises for different touch points can help refine your main brand promise. Ensure your promise is consistent across all interactions to create a powerful impact.

Featured Resource: Customer Journey Map Template

Step 3: Keep It Simple, Unique, and Inspiring

Your brand promise needs to be concise and relatable—something you can say in one sentence. Words must be chosen thoughtfully to resonate with your audience.

While crafting your promise, consider your company culture and the emotions you want to evoke. This could result in a more heartfelt and authentic promise that builds trust and confidence.

If articulating your promise is challenging, perhaps revisit the foundational questions about your brand’s purpose and uniqueness.

What Makes a Brand Promise Successful?

As brand consultant Cornelis Jacobs says, “A brand promise is basically your identity. If your brand didn’t exist, what would the world miss?” A brand promise should create trust, reliability, and delight.

Breaking your brand promise can have devastating effects on brand perception. Ensure your promise is credible, actionable, memorable, emotional, and impacts your business positively. It has to be evident at every touch point.

Brand Promise Template

Crafting a brand promise doesn’t follow an exact formula, but here’s a handy template to guide you:

Positioning + Vision + Value Proposition = Your Brand Promise

Dedicate time to wordsmithing your promise to ensure it reflects your brand’s essence accurately.

Brand Promise Examples

The following examples illustrate how some businesses have shaped their brand promises:

These examples range from wide-reaching promises to more nuanced commitments. Use them to inspire your own brand promise creation.

Apple: “Build the best products in the world and enrich people’s lives.”

Apple’s brand promise revolves around innovation, quality, and user-friendly design. If it failed to deliver on its brand promise, it would compromise its reputation as an industry leader.

Starbucks: “To inspire and nurture the human spirit — one person, one cup, one neighborhood at a time.”

Starbucks focuses on customer service, promising an enriching experience with every cup, thus establishing customer loyalty globally.

Anima Iris: “Feel empowered and emboldened.”

Anima Iris connects emotionally with its audience by promising empowerment and confidence through their accessories.

Build Your Brand Promise for Lasting Results

Creating a brand promise requires careful thought and dedication. Emphasize its development to ensure long-term success. Leverage the templates and guidelines provided above to create a compelling brand promise that resonates with all stakeholders.

Need more marketing insights? Click Here For More Marketing Tips and Strategies.