We’ve talked about what a brand is, why branding is important and how fulfilling promises will strengthen your brand. Now we’ll talk about how you develop a brand that is distinguishable from your competitors. The goal is to get your prospects to see you as their only solution.
The first step in the process goes back to our first entry of this series – realizing your brand is YOU – not the slogan, Web site, logo, etc. These are all components of your brand image, but they are not your brand.
The next step is to make sure that you have the solution to your customer’s problems and you let them know. As mentioned above, the goal is to attract customers because you have a solution to their problem.
Next, realize and capitalize on the fact that people only conduct business with people they’ve developed relationships with. There must be something about YOU, your message or promotion that catches and keeps their attention. Above all, they must trust you on some level.
Your logo and slogan may fulfill its purpose of attracting a prospect and offering a sense of familiarity, but YOU have the responsibility of closing the deal. To accomplish this, you must develop your Brand and you must do so based on providing solutions to customer problems.
Next entry we’ll discuss Brand Position. If you’re wondering what that is, well, it describes what the organization does and for whom. The main purpose is to identify key benefits of buying a product or service.
So far we’ve talked about what a brand is and why you need to brand your business. This entry we’ll talk about the Brand Promise – a key ingredient in providing exceptional customer service. A quick trip to the dictionary reveals that promise means “something that has the effect of an express assurance; indication of what may be expected.†That’s exactly what a brand should do. Keep that in mind as you develop your Brand Promise.
Your BRAND PROMISE lets customers know what they can expect from you. It is building a reputation and consistently delivering in support of it.
Your BRAND PROMISE a collection of perceptions in the mind of the customer. It is also a foundation that clients use to form a deep personal connection to you and your company.
Your BRAND PROMISE is the sum of all the images people have in their heads about you. It is a promise that isn’t easily forgotten because your target audience and customers access this memory whenever they need services or products.
Your BRAND PROMISE must be relevant, distinct and memorable. You must have the courage to be different, leave your comfort zone and stay committed to your brand difference over the long haul.
Think about some of the products you buy on a regular basis. Are they brand name products? If so, why do you buy the brand name product over the store label or generic brand? Does it have anything to do with expectations or reputations? Do your customers remember you because of your brand? Are your customers loyal to your brand?
If your business continually fulfills its Brand Promises, they will. Next entry, we’ll talk about the formula for creating a brand. It is important to distinguish yourself from your competition and branding will help you do just that.
In the first post of our Branding Blog Series, we talked about what a brand is and how it really transcends the physical attributes of your business. It’s really an image or feeling your customers get when they think about your business. Why then, you ask, should you be concerned about branding? Mainly because it directly impacts your pocketbook and potential income. Unique branding provides value to your customers and increases confidence in their purchase decision.
It also provides value to YOU. How? By improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your marketing; increasing profitability potential; establishing competitive advantages and building company equity or worth.
It is cheaper to keep customers than it is to land new ones. Awareness and loyalty are a direct result of careful and effective planning efforts. How can you use branding in your business? You can use branding strategies to build your brand to what you envision it to be. Your ultimate goal is to influence customers and to position YOUR brand in their mind as unique and special.
Next entry we’ll talk about the Brand Promise and how important it is in building your reputation. You have certain expectations when you choose name brand products over generic or store labels and your customers have expectations as well. Make sure your brand it living up to those expectations by keeping unspoken promises with your customers.
Have you ever heard the term “name brandâ€? Of course you have; we all have. It’s used in reference to clothing, drugs, food – practically all consumer goods. It instantly brings a vision to mind — possibly positive or negative — but something flashes across your brain when the company name or product is mentioned. How do people react when they see or here your company name or think about your product or services. Is it important?
Have you created a connection between your logo, slogan or tagline, business card and 30 second elevator speech? When thinking brand, these are what the majority of small business owners associate with the term, all tangable pieces of their image. But are they really your brand?
No! Your brand identity is really YOU. It transcends the actual physical attributes of your business. A brand creates an image of a company in your customer’s mind. It influences your customers.
We’ve put together a series of blog entries designed to help you develop a “brand identity†for your business. Start to think about the kind of image you’d like to evoke in your customers’ minds when they think about your business.
Next entry, we’ll talk about why you should even be concerned about branding.
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