Brand Strategy Agency
A major challenge for businesses today is standing out from the white noise of their competitors. If you need proof all you have to do is look at any magazine, TV show, or surf the web. The amount of sales pitches the average person receives on a daily basis is immense and the more these offers increase the more they fall on deaf ears. These problems have given rise to the search for new and more effective ways to increase their influence on the customer in the marketplace through brand strategy. Companies that have a strong brand strategy benefit from strong customer loyalty as well as brand awareness and favorable views towards the entire company. It is not easy to create this sort of brand awareness, however; 451 Marketing is up to the challenge of helping your company break through all the clutter, making you stand out among your competitors.
The battle for your customers is fought by simply out-branding your competitors. However, this is much easier said than done. Your brand strategy must be very unique and attractive when compared to your competitors. Also, the entire company must be on board with your proposition to the customers. From the senior executives to customer service, everyone has to be on the same page when it comes to the brand strategy.
So, what does an effective brand strategy process consist of? It really varies from industry to industry, but here are a few guidelines to creating an effective brand strategy regardless of the marketplace you are in.
Why Care About Brand Strategy?
Brand strategy is far from a new concept, it has been used for years with much success from such companies as Proctor & Gamble and General Electric, among others. However, the expectations consumers have today about the product or service they are buying is greater than ever, so, it is important for the company to create a successful targeted brand experience.
From the second you interact with your customers your customer is already having a brand experience. The greater your knowledge of the brand you are selling, the more you are going to succeed in giving the customer a positive brand experience.
The Road to Branding Success
At the core of any good brand strategy is the inherent values of the brand. If the values are not clear, then get a grip on them first. Is it about honesty, integrity, quality, or customer satisfaction etc.? Whatever it is, you need to know the values of the brand before you can fully understand the brand identity and image that you are selling to your clients.
Usually knowledge of a company’s literal values is an internal matter, which is known throughout the company. However, it becomes known to anyone that is in contact with the company; this includes the customers, potential customers, and business to business partners. The most important thing about the brand’s values is consistency. The company must be unified in the ideals and values of the brand and should never change even if the landscape in which the company operates changes. The values must stay consistent so the customer knows exactly what to expect.
Top Notch Research Translates to Great Brand Strategies
After you have established your company’s values, a brand proposition must be declared. Objective and comprehensive branding research must be done to declare the brand’s strengths and weaknesses, the target audience and the competition. Branding research should also be done on the brands industry; to learn about the history, establish growth possibilities, and learn about the status of the current market.
Your Success Depends on the Target Customer
Research on your target market is the most important research you can do to guarantee success in your brand strategy. Find out everything you can about your potential customers, who they are and what they are about. Obtain as much detailed information as you can about their age, gender, income, shopping habits, geographic location, and any other demographic that might assist you in not only reaching your customer, but ensuring a purchase from that customer. When targeting a business market, these criteria will differ from industry to industry. The more you know about your target market the more knowledge you have as to what communication medium you can use to reach them, as well as what content would work to engage your market and maximize results.
Researching your competitors’ offerings is also very important since it gives you an idea of how you stack up to the competitors, as well as allows you to know what they are successful in and what they aren’t. With knowledge of your competitors, you know what you have to offer that the competitors don’t, as well as a sales pitch to compare you to your competitors in a better light that could be used in an ad campaign.
What Does Your Brand Promise
The brand promise, or brand proposition, is also known as the “brand statement.” The brand statement lists the benefits of using your company’s products or services. For instance, a clothing brand promise would talk about style and comfort, while a car company’s brand promise would be about safety, reliability, perhaps social status depending on the car. The brand statement, regardless of what it is, should be clear, engaging, and important to the customer. If the customer doesn’t find the statement to be an important promise, then your brand is not separated from your competitors in the eyes of that customer. An example of a brand statement would be the CEO of the Men’s Warehouse saying the tagline “You’re gonna love the way you look. I guarantee it.” This promises that if you purchase a suit from the Men’s Warehouse, you’ll like how you look making you more confident, which is what everyone wants when buying clothes.
Your Promise Should be Golden
All of the hard work establishing a target market, researching, and creating a brand statement could be useless if your delivery does not follow through on your promise. Customers that are disappointed with your delivery would go to your competitors, and even loyal customers could stop giving you business. In short, your delivery must come through on your promise and it would be even safer if it were over-delivered. No matter how good your marketing plan is, the product is what entices repeat purchases.
Your Promise Should be Unexpected, but Welcome
Try to steer clear of the old clichés, such as “The Best Coffee in Town,” these vague promises aren’t very believable or very memorable. Also, never reuse something your competitor has already promised, even if it was a successful promise. You must be specific and original because those are the kind of brand statements that are exponentially more memorable. Besides, people expect you to be good, otherwise they wouldn’t go to you for business in the first place.
Emotionally Grab the Customer, let them Worry about their Wallet Later
The key to getting the customer to remember your brand strategy is to create a positive, emotional association with the product or service. If you get a hold of your potential customer emotionally, the mere mention of your product or a sighting of an advertisement can spark a desire for your product or service. For example, a Gatorade truck with a picture of some Gatorade bottles on the side driving by a construction site on a hot day would entice the construction workers to go the convenience store after work and buy some thirst quenching Gatorade. These positive emotional associations are built over time through good branding practices and a time-tested relationship between you and your customer based on trust, understanding, and support after numerous repeated purchases.
To Create a Brand Promise that creates such emotional connections, it should be:
- Established from the brands core values
- Relevant, important, and engaging to your target market
- Able to create some sort of positive emotional attachment, that separates you from competitors
- Repeated consistently both internally and externally within your company
- Adaptable to the constantly evolving business climate
- Continually reinforced
- Consistent throughout the entire marketing campaign and throughout all advertising mediums.
