Lifestyle marketing is all about positioning your products or brand to possess the ideals, aspirations, and aesthetics that your target audience identifies with. There is a lot of noise out there in the advertising and marketing space and the only way to become a timeless classic is to resonate with your audience in a way that your product is the first thing they think of when the need arises. From those who are ready to be adventurous with Red Bull, to those who are ready to “Just Do It” with Nike, lifestyle marketing connects your brand with something that is a way of life for your audience. Here’s how you can get your feet wet in lifestyle marketing and create a deeper sense of connection with your customers.

Address Common Experiences/Pain Points

The important thing is to be aware of daily problems or experiences your target audience share, and let them know that your brand can totally relate. Echoing their troubles and pain-points shows your target audience that you resonate with them and helps you build an emotional connection with them. Show them how your product can help them solve some real-world issue.  for instance, Dove knows that its customer base is made up of real women, not super models. All videos, experiments, and images that the brand produce focus on the issues faced by real women. In doing so, Dove has turned the definition of “real” beauty on its head, and ended up as a much more relatable brand.

Similarly, even though LaCroix is in essence a flavorless fizzy water, it has become a way of life for most Americans. The reason LaCroix has become so famous is that health-conscious Americans are kicking their soda habits yet they are having a hard time weaning off soda. The brand saw the market gap and jumped in with a low-calorie sugar-free replacement that has everything soda has without the bad parts.

Understand What Your Customers Value

Another important factor is to have a deep comprehension of the values your target audience have, and make sure your brand speaks to the values. Remember that values fuel customer behavior. Even if you have an amazing product or service offering, customers won’t buy into it unless it speaks to their values. As a brand that wishes to weave itself into the very fabric of its customers’ lives, you need to understand the values, interests and overall lifestyle that your customers aspire to, and then determine how your customers are aligned with their values. For instance, Wholefoods markets itself to customers who value health, wellness, “clean” food supplies, and green living. The company knows what its target audience wants and makes use of content that promotes their life choices with healthy recipes, greener living tips, and even blogs on relevant topics.

Make Sure Your Audience Feels Connected to The Brand

If you want your customers to align with you, you need to make them feel as if your brand gets them. You need to demonstrate that your brand is fully supportive of their goals and that it offers something valuable that they want to be part of. For instance, Lululemon Athletica, better known as the inventor of yoga pants, entered the fitness industry to compete with already established global giants, such as Adidas and Nike. The brand focused on amassing a cult following of fitness enthusiasts who were in search of quality yoga gear. Lululemon connected with their audience through Twitter and other social media accounts. What made them stand out was the fact that they personally replied to each follower with encouraging comments and messages. Their small doses of motivation inspired millions to carry on with their fitness and mindfulness journey. As we see, encouraging and engaging with your community not only leads to customer loyalty but also creates an army of brand ambassadors for your brand. 

Tell your Brand Story

Every brand with a tale to tell, should do so. In fact, your narrative should sell your customers on how your company resonates with their ultimate version of themselves. For instance, Warby Parker has become a thriving ecommerce success due to the stories they tell. The brand came into being with an aim to offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, which became their prime identity. And they make sure to share plenty of content depicting how they’re doing it. All you have to do is visit the page “How Warby Parker glasses are made” to catch behind-the-scenes peek at how the famous glasses are made, all the way from design through manufacturing, including background on supplies and suppliers. They focus on how each piece is fabricated from Plant-based cellulose acetate and assembled personally by hand. Warby Parker has shown the world that they care about natural products, and are devoted to protecting the environment. Not to mention, for each pair of Warby parkers sold, a pair is donated to someone in need, which makes the brand seem all the more socially-conscious. Stories like these make people want to support brands that are contributing to the wellbeing of the world.

Incorporate your brand everywhere 

This goes without saying but lifestyle marketing isn’t a one-off thing. You have to keep reinstating your brand messaging until you have compelled your audience to adopt your lifestyle brand and fall in love with your products. The secret is to somehow integrate your product into multiple facets of their lives. For instance, by narrating your brand story, offering them value on social media, showing them what they can do with your product, and how it can change their live or solve some problem. When you build a relationship with your customers, you can influence them at every step of the brand journey.