What do you do if your brand promise falls short and damages trust and credibility?

1 Acknowledge the problem

The first step to fix a brand promise breach is to admit that you made a mistake and apologize sincerely. Don't try to hide, deny, or blame others for your failure. Be transparent and honest about what went wrong and why, and how you are going to prevent it from happening again. Show empathy and understanding for your customers' frustrations and concerns, and thank them for their feedback and loyalty.

3 Address the root cause

The third step is to identify and resolve the root cause of your brand promise breach. Was it due to a technical glitch, a human error, a process flaw, a communication gap, or a strategic misalignment? Whatever the cause, you need to find out what went wrong and how to fix it. You also need to review and update your brand promise if necessary, to ensure that it is clear, realistic, and consistent with your values and goals.

4 Act on the feedback

The fourth step is to act on the feedback that you received from your customers and prospects after your brand promise breach. What do they want you to do to make up for your mistake? How can you improve your products, services, or processes to meet their expectations and needs? How can you demonstrate your commitment and value to them? You can use various methods to act on the feedback, such as offering refunds, discounts, freebies, upgrades, or loyalty programs, improving your quality, delivery, or customer service, or creating new features, benefits, or solutions.

5 Amplify the positive

The fifth step is to amplify the positive aspects of your brand and your recovery efforts after your brand promise breach. How can you showcase your strengths, achievements, and successes? How can you highlight your customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy? How can you leverage your social proof, testimonials, and reviews? You can use various methods to amplify the positive, such as creating and sharing engaging content, stories, or case studies, launching new campaigns, promotions, or events, or partnering with influencers, experts, or media.

6 Adjust the strategy

The final step is to adjust your brand strategy based on the lessons learned from your brand promise breach. How can you prevent or minimize the risk of future breaches? How can you monitor and measure your brand performance and health? How can you align your brand promise with your vision, mission, and values? You can use various methods to adjust your strategy, such as conducting a brand audit, defining or refining your brand identity, positioning, and personality, or developing or revising your brand guidelines, standards, and policies.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?