Do you know what people are already saying about your company?
To effectively brand your business, so you can get into peoples minds and stay inside, you must first find out what the consumer already thinks of you.
If they are thinking of you at all.
What are Your Brand Qualities?
When branding your company you must decide on your business brand qualities. The main reason for this is to ensure that further decisions for your company are based on the brand you desire to build.
If your brand qualities are not
Next, while establishing your brand, define who “you”
For example:
– Are you a small local business or a national chain?
– Do you carry exclusive and expensive products?
– Is your staff friendly?
– What are your corporate colours and what do they mean to you?
When you have the message of your brand firmly in place, all decisions made will be qualified by asking this one question.
“Will this [decision] communicate or verify our Brand?”
If your answer isn’t ‘yes’ you need to re-think your decision.
For example: If you have a children’s water park your brand may carry the message that you are affordable, and a fun place for the entire family. If someone on staff suggests increasing business by having half-naked dancers at the gate to attract attention, you will know immediately this doesn’t carry the message of your brand.
Being Different is Memorable
As much as people try their darndest to ‘fit in’ to avoid sticking out, this isn’t the best choice when you are trying to be noticed as a business.
I’m not sure who originated this quote (and many people try to claim it is theirs) but it certainly underlines the importance of doing things differently. “Do what everyone else does and you will have what everyone else has.”
If everyone in your line of business is suffering, I can bet they are all doing the same type of advertising and marketing. Regardless of the type of business you are in, you can do it differently.
Being different and focused on just ONE thing will work even better to get you noticed. Look at the original branding of Starbucks, Toys ‘R’ Us, Subway etc. They define (in order) Coffee, toys, and sandwiches.
What about Walmart you ask? Well, they originally boasted to beat the snot out of everyone on price. Now they have Amazon and Costco to contend with. Watch how they jostle to be different.
Can you compete on price? This is the toughest arena to be in and I don’t recommend it. The type of customer that constantly demands you drop your drawers to get a job isn’t the best customer to have.
If your message isn’t clear to your consumer, your consumer doesn’t know why you are there…
Be Courageous, Be Different
Where is that one place in the consumers brain that you can move beyond the clutter and claim as your own.
– What do you do best?
– What makes you shine?
Companies (new and old) will avoid focusing on one thing for different reasons. Newer companies may not be aware of what they do best yet, and older companies have shifted their focus to try and get a bigger piece of the market pie.
The fear of “all the eggs in one basket” mentality has people trying to serve far too many. The core issue with diversification is the damage caused by diluting your message. If your message isn’t clear to your consumer, your consumer doesn’t know why you are there, and therefore will have no solid reason to buy from you.
Branding is getting into the brain of your consumer and that requires a specific strategy with a strong focused message.
What can you do to be different?
