The brands that people find the most helpful are the brands that get preferred, chosen, and even loved.

Imagine people feeling like your brand gets them because you help them overcome unspoken challenges. Challenges that keep them from pursuing their ideal self. Challenges that your brand just seems to understand.

Sounds like a magical power, right?

What we say vs. what we do

We humans are an unpredictable bunch. We’ll tell you what we believe one minute. And then we’ll do something that seems contradictory the next.

Are we just liars?

Well, no. What we believe often reflects our idealized self. It’s what we hope to become. And work toward becoming. And it’s very dear to us.

Unfortunately, reality often gets in the way, causing us to do something that doesn’t seem to line up with what we say we believe.

For example, Jane says she absolutely prefers a brand that has taken steps to reduce negative environmental effects. In fact, she actively follows the brand and even advocates for it by liking and reposting social posts. Yet, when it comes time to make a purchase decision, Jane buys the competing brand.

Why? Well, it may be an access issue. Jane can’t get the brand anywhere near her and it’s inconvenient to drive across town for it. Or it could be financial – maybe Jane is on a tight budget and she can’t justify spending twice as much for her preferred brand. Or she can’t afford to buy it for everyday use but she’ll buy it for special occasions.

There could be any number of reasons. Imagine if you understood this challenge that your prospect struggles with. Imagine what that knowledge could help you do. You may be able to make some changes to the product or offering that would clear the way for Jane to buy from you (or buy from you more often). Maybe it’s a loyalty program that gives members free shipping, solving the access issue for Jane. Maybe it’s education to help Jane understand that even though your product is twice as expensive, you only have to use half as much. These are pretty simplistic examples, but you get the point.

It’s not a frustration, it’s an opportunity

It can be frustrating to work diligently on building up your brand and positioning it in a way that prospects love only to see them then act so irrationally when it comes time to purchase.

It’s at times like this that we need to take a step back and realize what this presents. We have the opportunity to understand the challenge or hurdle that is keeping those we hope to serve from fully engaging with the brand that they have already told us that they love.

If you have the budget for the research, go do it. Especially with a research partner that can go beyond the numbers to understand the behavior.

Beyond the formal research, look for ways to reach out through the social channels to discover your prospects’ challenges and hurdles. In the example of Jane, the brand already had a group of fans. It’s a good bet that they would enthusiastically engage through social media to help you understand what they’re facing.

At the very least, talk to your front-line people – whether that’s sales or customer care people. They are the ones who hear what customers and prospects are thinking on a daily basis. Their stories could help uncover some of those challenges and hurdles.

Focus on understanding the disconnect. Do that and you’ll begin to understand how your brand can help them bridge that gap between what they say and do. In doing so, you may just find that your brand becomes even more beloved and valuable to them.