Brands are indelible. When they are seared into customers’ minds, they’re long-lasting and durable. That’s why it’s important to have your branding strategy before you leap into your branding action.
Knowing what your brand has to accomplish and what kind of brand you’re seeking and of course knowing the budget you have for your branding campaign are key factors in reaching the branding success you seek.
Businesses come to us all the time saying “I have a brand already, I just need to increase sales,” mmmm do you see the problem here? When we ask them what is your market share? How do people see your brand? What do they have in mind as soon they acquire your product or service? Of course the answer 99% of the time is “I don’t know.” Well, this is not a “designed brand”, what you have is a “brand by default”, this mean people have created their own perspective of your business and you just follow it in order to keep selling them, and now you are stuck with no sales because you didn’t set goals and plan for 10+ years in the future. You didn’t create your brand so it’s limited only to the people with similar behaviors/taste.
To define what brand you want in the future answer the following questions and make priority attributes for your brand.
Awareness
How well-known or noticed is your brand in its market? (Please be honest, your relatives don’t count and as a minimum, compare it in the entire city not just your neighborhood!
Emotional connection.
How deeply and emotionally do people relate to your brand? (Ask,ask,ask,, please don’t guess, it will not help you)
Distinction.
How well do people understand the attributes or promises that set your brand apart from competitors? (I’ve seen a lot of companies fail in the message they try to convey, hire a professional to create your message your sales people or assistant doesn’t know, period)
Credibility and trust.
How well do people believe and trust in you and your promises? How good is your reputation? (if you lose this one, you are lost)
Purchase motivation.
How well does your brand inspire preference and pave the way for a purchase decision? (Is it really a brand?)