Your brand is more than your product or service; it is permanent first impression that is based on a series of associations, turning transitory transactions into lasting relationships. In this article, we'll explore some best practices for creating a brick-and-mortar brand experience that will help create a sustainable and scalable BONDS with your customers.

1. Begin with the end in mind

With a pen and paper, sit down and write a pair of 5-star Rave Reviews from the respective POVs of two Buyer Personas: First Timer and Loyal Customer.

Your first time will have the keenest pair of eyes. Everything will be new and unexpected, judged through a partially informed lens reception.

Play to the skeptical end of the spectrum in this review. Ask yourself what elements of the experience would allow a customer to like you and how you can address this before it happens. Was your staff rude, or was the physical space out of order? Did the product or service match the advertising? Was their time (and money) well spent with you?

Unlike the first person, Besniku wants to validate them commitment to your brand. Your job is to convince them that you deserve a place in their lives. Remember, the client is not committed to staying with you in sickness and in health; their loyalty, however sincere, is conditional.

Now put both comments side by side: How did these two POVs differ? What did they notice? What did they rate? Was the experience satisfactory? Looking back, you might be surprised that most of what you wrote wasn't about the product or service—it was about everything else.

That's because real-world customer experience centers around people and our connections, concerns, associations, and biases. It's messy, emotional and, at times, irrational, but stepping back from these rave reviews will give you the clues to build an empathically focused brand experience with a strong presence.

Related: Customer loyalty is your holy grail for success. Here's why.

2. Simplify, then repeat

Now, whip out your Rave comments for a list of essential elements that define your “brand experience.” Remember to move away from your product or service and focus on the look and feel of your location, the attitude of your staff, and the myriad other things that set you apart.

To impact the lives of others, your brand experience must survive and thrive in the real world, filled with unforeseen circumstances and conditions. If the key elements you've identified are too expensive, complex, or complicated, you won't be able to replicate them 1,000 times across as many locations and carriers.

To simplify core elements of the brand experience, you'll need to be very honest about what you would or wouldn't want to compromise to simplify operations while still delivering the same experience.

Don't let perfection be the enemy of goodness; you can have high standards while recognizing that people are people and that we all miss the point sometimes. Your brand fundamentals should align with your brand's vision and mission statements, as direct, actionable, and memorable guidelines for creating a space.

Guiding statements that are concise enough to fit on a bumper sticker—such as “Treat every guest with dignity and respect,” “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” and “You belong”— it can be woven through everything from training documentation to marketing campaigns with consistent readability.

Remember that your job is to ensure that you brand sustainability it's possible and enjoyable for everyone, staff and customers alike.

Related: How to use the 5 senses – plus a sixth secret – to catapult your brand experience

3. Location, location, location

How does your brand experience speak to the local community?

The franchise industry strongly fights against the misconception that each location is little more than the drone node of a large corporate entity. Indeed, everything is local. The majority of your staff and clientele will most likely be drawn from within a 30-40 mile radius of your location, just as most of the revenue you generate and the wages you pay will likely flow within that same radius.

Remember: no matter how big your brand becomes, your franchisees operate small businesses that serve and belong in their local communities. Encourage your franchisees to take time to engage with other pillars of the community such as schools, hospitals, police and fire departments. Making an effort to sponsor an event, donate to a local charity or even just tag customers in your social media posts will help bring more community members to your locations, giving your experience of the brand with the acquired originality.

4. Evergreen everything

Consistency is not permanence: things will always be change and evolve. The improvisational elements, the change from one place or community to another, is a vital part of creating an evergreen brand.

Some of the best ideas and brand innovations come from the field, not the boardroom. Be prepared to invite others into the process, especially your best franchisees. Their valuable first-hand experience can include everything from granular logistics to big-picture brand experience touchpoints that either have or haven't appeared in the real world.

Empowering top performers to contribute to brand development helps achieve one of the most compelling elements of franchising – that while your franchisees may be in business for themselves, they are not in business themselves.

Products and promotions come and go. Creating a brand with room to grow and change, with the value of listening at least as much as you talk, ensures a future everyone can work towards together.