The one thing that beats both good looks and personality
Good looks vs Personality
This debate is one that’s raged on forever.
Whilst attractiveness creates an initial impression, it’s importance decreases over time, whilst other factors increase.
However, research has found that one thing trumps both of these when it comes to attracting someone you know.
Uniqueness
The ultimate source of attraction
Because relationships tend to blossom out of friendships, the period of time where two people get to know each other is where uniqueness comes to the fore.
Research shows that given a three month period, it is uniqueness that always wins out over initial attractiveness when it comes to deciding whether to form an ongoing relationship.
The lesson for brands
The world of dating is a great metaphor for branding.
The act of helping a brand become distinct and unique is one we never take for granted, but this dating research backs up the importance of developing and maintaining a strong brand personality in order to retain consumers and build a strong connection.
In fact, we can stretch the dating analogy a little further with these three brand building tips:
1 – Make a strong first impression.
Instead of clothes and confidence, the key for brands to nail the first impression is to have a clear and distinct look that ensures people ‘get’ what you do and that it’s conveyed in a simple, strong and beautiful way through your website, socials, imagery and collateral.
2- Bring the Joy
The people in our lives who stand out are often the ones that a full of energy and passion. Their lust for life is infections! Too many brands make the mistake of being bland instead of standing out with an engaging personality that makes people want to engage and hang out with them.
3 – Play the long game.
We’ve already covered how uniqueness is what ultimately causes people to decide on whether to form a romantic relationship – but think about the brands you care about and you’ll see that they’ve often played the long game with you. Brands must consider their long term strategy and have a narrative that allows relationships to develop and deepen.
WRAP UP
So, in a nutshell, make a good impression, keep people engaged and whatever you do, make sure you have a distinct and unique personality and people will keep coming back!