Advertising and discounts can attract customers, but getting them to return takes more than marketing.

At TechSparks 2026 in Bengaluru, Natasha Tuli, Founder, CEO and Chief Formulator of Soulflower, spoke about the importance of building customer trust during a session titled ‘Everyone can build a brand. How many can build a belief?’

Tuli discussed how Soulflower has used product innovation, transparency, and direct conversations with customers to build loyalty.

Meta ads and discounts can help brands attract attention, Tuli said, but a first purchase only shows that the marketing has worked. A repeat purchase indicates that the product has delivered on its promise.

She also spoke about the tendency of brands to copy one another rather than develop products that stand out.

“You can come up with something really innovative and different… and you can stick with it. People will soon believe in it,” she said.

Citing Google Trends data, Tuli said searches for rosemary rose nearly sevenfold between 2021 and 2026. Interest in rosemary oil increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, when Soulflower began selling larger quantities and educating customers about how to use it.

Soap was another example. At a time when shower gels were popular, Tuli chose to make oil-based soap priced at Rs 400.

She recalled a meeting with Wipro, where she was asked how Soulflower could sell sandalwood soap at that price when Wipro’s product was considerably cheaper.

Instead of simply defending the price, Tuli decided to show customers how the soap was made.

Source link