Let’s begin by breaking the biggest myth of all time – branding is not your logo. It is the sum total of everything that you do, how you do it and why you do it. Quoting Jeff Bezos, “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.” Consistently.
Although a lot comes under this topic, in this article, we’ll talk about five key factors that will influence your modern-day branding.
The best brands have always made their value propositions clear. As Simon Sinek explains with his concept of the ‘Golden Circle’, the core value of a brand lies in its why – why do they do what they do. The aim of this aspect is to establish the biggest benefit your brand will bring to the user/customer and differentiating yourself from the competition.
Take Uber, for example. They make their value proposition clear and evident – CONVENIENCE. The company indirectly highlights everything that makes calling a traditional taxi difficult and points out how their service makes this process easy. This simple copy from their website sums up their entire value proposition in one sentence – “Tap the app, get a ride”.
When it comes to branding, you have to pay a sharp attention to your customer’s world view as this will help you in your brand positioning. If there’s one thing that can make or break your brand, it’s the customer experience that you offer to your brand. Great customer service aligns your customers with your brand’s values and builds brand loyalty.
Consumer behaviour is always evolving and so it’s crucial that you ask for customer feedback on their experience. This will help you analyze what’s working the most and where you’re falling short. Making this process an integral part of your strategy can be very beneficial in carving out a customer experience that’s tailored to the audience’s needs. Brands that focus on excellent customer service boosts their reputation and also encourage new users through mouth-to-mouth referrals.
Your brand personality is what makes it more human, emphasizing the emotional side of your brand. So why is this so important? Because people buy from what they like, trust and like to be known associated with. It’s essentially communicated through the way you speak to your audience, your visual identity and everything that you present to a customer. This means everything that you do – from the way you reply to comments on your social media post to how your ad shows up on a billboard.
Consistency is at the heart of progress. Brands that fail to be consistent deteriorate their performance in business and eventually subside. If your customers find that you’re no longer what you used to be or stood for, chances are that you’ll lose trust, credibility and brand value quite soon.
Moreover, being consistent helps you to build a strong association with your brand values, messaging and visual identity among customers. It makes you memorable and sets you a stage for authenticity, especially in highly saturated markets. When it comes to marketing, a consistent attitude can go a long way in building revenue, reputation and recognition.
This may not be entirely in your hands, but what you do influence your social identity a lot. One good way to establish a strong brand is by sharing reviews, impact stories and great customer experiences. It builds social proof and establishes you as a credible brand. Nevertheless, this starts with listening to your audience. Ask your customers about their feedback on your products & services, analyze what can be improved and optimize for better performance.
Social identity can also come from your company culture, the way you treat your employees and how they treat your customers are all crucial factors in building you a positive brand identity. It’s about making sure that your company values are reflected in not just the way you provide your service but also in the way that you do everything else in your business.
Wrapping Up Branding
So far, we’ve discussed five main points that are vital to your branding strategy:
Branding includes much more than just this but essentially, the above five factors play an important role in building a great brand. You must also have a clear idea of your customer persona to position your brand in the ideal market.
In its essence, branding is an art of building a legacy, a label, an identity that stands for definite values. The best branding comes from an ideal mix of research, creativity, innovation, and consistency.
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