Most companies, celebrities, politicians, and public figures would argue their brand is the most important aspect of a business. It speaks to who and what you stand for. Procuring and growing a brand doesn't happen overnight; it requires constant focus and attention. Below are some actions to consider to ensure your brand is standing the test of time.
1. How does your brand solve for need? Is your service and product one that will stand the test of time? With technology eroding some traditional sectors (cable TV, travel agencies, retail shopping at brick and mortar stores, etc) it also allows for new ideas and business opportunities to emerge. A few questions to always ask yourself: Where does my solution/product fit in market? How is your brand standing out to offer solutions to consumers? Does your brand have scalability, and sustainability? If you can't confidentially answer all those, then your brand has some holes that need fixing.
2. How does your brand message resonate with consumers? What are your USP's (unique selling points), vs the competition? Is your jingle, tag line, or creative catchy/memorable? What exactly is your call to action; and do they cross all marketing channels? If your message is not clear and concise, how will people know to come to you? How are you generating your new ideas? Are you investing in innovation and tech savvy partnerships to ensure your brand scales? Again, most CEO's are kept up at night with these questions...having a solid business brand plan in place will help eliminate concerns.
3. What is your brand marketing strategy? Right place, right message is the name of the game. Have you narrowed down the target consumer your brand is going after? Being a jack of all trades is hard to pull off, but being a master of some allows companies to get really good, and keep really loyal customers for the sector of the business. Brand marketing is just as important as the message. If one is off-the campaigns fail. Make sure you are targeting the ideal consumer and measure success at the same time.
4. Do you have brand ambassador ? This terms has been around for years, but most recently has had a new buzz around it (companies like DVF have invested in reality TV to find their brand ambassador match) . These people can be employees, clients, partners, friend's, and family. Having a solid group of people upholding your brand, toting all the amazing things you do, and giving back to the community are ways to increase brand loyalty and perception. *See 2015 Top 100 Best Global Randking Brands
Big data and strong culture are the keys to high brand growth for companies; consumers are all about engaging in behavior targeted marketing; and working with companies who value their employees and customers. If you need a better branding solution, or help with behavior marketing, we'd love to talk! CLICK HERE to set up a complimentary brand assessment.
