Giving your customers or clients something to feel good about, something to remember, something to make them smile deserves the same attention as every other aspect of running your business. According to recent studies, “only 20% of brands worldwide make a significant, positive effect on people’s well-being.” While ‘well-being’ could mean many things, its greatest definition is summed up by the positive emotional impact a brand creates for its consumers.

A positive emotional impact is the core of brand loyalty and the essence of future equity.

 If your business hasn’t had an experience audit recently, it’s important to consider investing in one soon. In the meantime, here are a few fun ideas to get things moving in the right direction this Summer.

BRING BACK THE LEMONADE STAND

We’re all a bunch of (slightly grown-up) kids, and appealing to that inner-kid is a definite win for brands. So, bust out those lemonade pitchers. Set up a small table. Keep ice-cold batches of FREE fresh lemonade on hand for your customers during these hot Summer months. It’s a refreshing and nostalgic spin on the classic feel-good roadside stands.

STEP AND REPEAT LIKE THE STARS

Publicity backdrops on the red carpet are statement pieces. This simple signage technique is coveted for social sharing and super easy to install in your own space or at your own event. It doesn’t have to be the traditional logo design we’ve come to expect from Hollywood red carpet events… get creative! Add props. Big letters. Make it interactive.

HAPPY KIDS MAKE HAPPY CUSTOMERS

If you can find a way to entertain the kiddos and keep them peaceful while the parents shop… you’ve scored some major brownie points for your brand. Keep a box full of toys, games and coloring books at the front of your store or office for entertainment that goes a long way.

TRAIL MIX BAR

Want a great way to keep the energy up and keep your customers shopping (or staying) longer? Set up a small trail-mix bar with branded brown paper lunch bags for them to mix their own trail mix. Great activation for offices and long meetings!

E-COMPLIMENT

It seems that every piece of communication we receive from brands is either a sales message or business update. When was the last time a business surprised you with a kind, inspirational or uplifting message instead? Send your customers and clients an e-compliment. Make it simple. Make it awesome. And make it the kind of message they’ll hope to see again and again.

LITTLE WELCOME MESSAGES

Toss the outdoor A-Frame chalkboard, that’s so 2012. Go for chalk messages on the sidewalk or in the parking lot. It’s an attention grabber. If your customers or clients use a parking lot, consider writing custom messages in each parking space.

CASH-WRAP CONCIERGE

Move the checkout experience from a desk to a chair or small lounge area. Bring customers the bill (once they’re ready to checkout) and handle the transaction much like a dining establishment. Don’t make customers come to you in the final moments of their shopping experience; go to them, serve them.

LAVENDER, CEDAR & SMELL-GOODS

A brand should be a total sensory experience and appealing to each sense is just as important as the other. How is your brand using the sense of smell to its advantage? Try filling your retail or office space with an aroma like lavender for calming, or cedar for wisdom. Research a bit of aromatherapy to decide on the right scent for your business. Carry that experience further and fill shopping bags with bits of the aroma so that when the customer returns home, they’re still experiencing the aroma of your brand.

LITTLE FREE LIBRARY

At least once a Summer, bookstores have a huge sale to rid their overstocked inventory. Take advantage of this sale and build a ‘little free library.’ Encourage visitors or passerby’s to take one, read one and share one. Stamp your company information on the inside cover, with a small shareable message for social posts. This idea makes a great way to build community.

SOUNDS OF THE SUMMER SEASON

Melodic wind chimes. Big crashing waves. Singing birds. Evening crickets. The sounds of this season are wonderfully relaxing and inspiring. Fill your space with these sounds and keep the music on pause. Customers and clients will feel as if they stepped into an oasis and will likely welcome the listening break.

Remember that your brand is not just your logo, website or product. It’s a combination of all things and every sensory experience your customer or client has with your business. The ideas above are just ten out of millions of things you can do to help build your brand and win mindshare for years to come.

We’d love to conduct an experience audit for your brand… Summer’s a great time to do it. Let’s talk!