At a recent workshop for entrepreneurs and business owners at NatWest Business Accelerator in Birmingham, I started with a question that had nothing to do with sales targets, funnels or marketing plans.
Think about a local place you genuinely like going to. It might be your pub, a Chinese takeaway, an Indian restaurant, your barber, the local shop or somewhere else you return to without needing much persuasion. Where is it? How does it make you feel? Why do you go back?
The answers are rarely about a logo, a promotion or a carefully written value proposition. People talk about feeling known, welcomed, comfortable, understood, trusted and looked after. That is where brand starts.
Brand is the experience
Brand is not just what people see. It is what they experience. A small local business may remember people personally. As a business grows, that becomes harder. The job then is to create systems that still make people feel remembered: clear communication, thoughtful follow up, reliable delivery and people who feel trusted to do their work well.
The details matter. Does an enquiry disappear into an inbox? Does a quote arrive without a clear next step? Does a booking receive no confirmation? Does a customer have to chase for an update? Does the business make people guess what happens next?
Every unanswered question creates doubt. Every small reassurance can make dealing with you feel easier.
What customers need
When I am deciding whether to buy from a business, I want three things. I want to understand it. I want to trust them. I want to know it is worth it.
If I do not understand what a business does, I am less likely to trust it. If I do not trust it, I am unlikely to buy. Capability matters. But people need to be able to see it, understand it and believe it is valuable.
Small moments matter
During the session, I shared a few experiences from my own life and work: a familiar interaction in a coffee shop in Malaysia, a reassuring WhatsApp message from a rental car company and examples of how the confidence of the person serving a customer changes the whole experience.
The stories were different, but the lesson was the same. A small bit of reassurance can change the whole experience.
A customer does not always need a grand gesture. They may simply need a clear update, a reply before they chase, an easier explanation, a confident team member or proof that someone has paid attention.
One useful action
The workshop did not end with a big transformation plan. It ended with one practical question: what is one customer moment you could make clearer, easier or more reassuring this week?
Find the point where customers are waiting, asking or guessing. Then improve it. It may be your enquiry response, booking process, confirmation message, quote, onboarding, handover or the way a member of staff explains what happens next.
The best brand work is often not louder. It is more considered. People may not remember every detail. But they remember how dealing with you felt.
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I speak about brand, customer experience, trust and the small moments that make a business easier to understand, choose and come back to. If you are planning an event, team session, founder workshop or business programme, get in touch.
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