Before you can effectively begin working on your brand strategy, it is important to identify your companies “brand positioning”. This is what truly brings your strategy to life.
Brand positioning is something that happens in the minds of the target market. It is the perception the market has of a particular company, product or service in relation to their perceptions of other competitors in the same category. This is going to happen whether or not management is proactive or reactive about their companies positioning in the market. But a company can certainly influence perception through effective strategic action.
Tell me more about building my brand.
If you’re going to take the time to develop a brand strategy, take the steps to make sure that it is going to be as effective as possible.
- How is your organization different in the marketplace?
- Ask your customers, employees and suppliers. Do their comments coincide with your strategy? Your real brand is not always what you may think it is.
- Develop your brand strategy around emotional benefits not features.
Define your brand
- Think of your brand as a unique person with a distinct personality. Try describing that person, then use these traits in all the materials that go to the marketplace.
- Write your companies positioning statement. This is the story that describes the brand and the ideal target for your product or service.
- Determine the look and feel for all graphic elements that the marketplace will interact with.
- Determine how your employees will interact with prospects and customers to communicate your brand and the positioning that you’ve worked so hard to create in the minds of the consumers.
What’s next
Together with your companies unique brand positioning, your brand strategy becomes the essence of what you represent in the minds of your target market. An effective brand strategy helps you communicate consistently with your market, so be sure to follow it in every interaction you have with prospects and customers. These interactions include: your name, pricing strategy, employees, marketing messages, brochures and website just to name a few.
If you have a strategy and branding question, feel free to drop us a note or give us a shout for a “no obligation” shoot from the hip conversation.
