Having a great brand name is a start, but it’s not enough. Businesses must ensure they get every aspect of branding right to see excellent results. There are many ways to approach branding, but not all are equally effective and relevant to a business’ present situation.
Good branding means ensuring that your brand reflects your company’s values and makes it appealing to your target audience. Companies often try to utilize so many branding tricks to attract everyone that they misrepresent their brand and alienate their main audience.
Companies must invest in branding strategies that deliver the most substantial impact to avoid losing sight of their brand identity and potentially seeing a drop in sales. This article will discuss five branding strategies that can help businesses boost their brand presence and solidify their brand identity.
Brand vs. Branding
Before learning how to brand your business right, it’s essential to understand the difference between brand and branding first. A brand refers to a company’s identity, which separates the company from the rest of the competition. These are the six elements of a brand:
- Brand voice – This refers to the brand’s personality. The brand voice humanizes the brand and helps customers relate to the company’s mission and vision.
- Brand identity – This includes the brand’s color, typography, and how it represents itself on different channels and platforms. Without a clear identity, a brand won’t stand out.
- Brand promise – What does the brand promise to its audience? This element sets customer expectations and must be reinforced through different branding strategies.
- Brand values – Brand values are what a company stands for. Is it operating to support economic empowerment? Is it working towards diversity, equity, and inclusion?
- Brand targeting – It is impossible to target everyone at the same time. The most efficient way to succeed in the industry is to segment the audience and appeal to each group appropriately.
- Brand positioning – Where does the customer see the brand? Do they think that you are an industry authority or a new player? Brand positioning is knowing where the business stands and making strategic moves to solidify its market share.
On the other hand, branding refers to using various marketing techniques to create an impression or identity in consumers’ minds. In short, branding is about giving a brand life and meaning.
It’s never about what the business says about its brand; it is about how customers perceive it. Effective branding is knowing what the audience wants or needs and integrating it into the product or service. It’s also important to stay true to the company’s values and never compromise for the sake of the majority.
What are the 5 best branding strategies to consider?
Branding plays a key role in business success. No matter how big or small a company is, it needs to have a branding strategy to make a relevant impact in the industry.
Establish a strong visual identity
The key to successful branding starts with having a solid visual identity. This includes choosing the right colors, fonts, and logo variations that will be used across all platforms. The company’s designers need to ensure that these elements blend well together.
The first thing that customers will see is the company’s visuals. They need to make a strong first impression that will leave a mark on potential customers. The goal is to create a lasting impact on the target market.
For example, Coca-Cola’s red and white colors and Nike’s “swoosh” logo are recognized worldwide.
Develop a consistent message
Aside from stunning visuals, businesses must also have a consistent message. The message must be communicated uniformly across all channels — on social media, the company website, or even in person. Customers should understand what the brand is about and what it can offer.
Coca-Cola’s “Open Happiness” message and Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan are two perfect examples of effective brand messaging.
Another important aspect of branding is building customer loyalty. Creating a strong emotional connection with the target market by making existing customers feel valued and heard is a great way to encourage customer loyalty.
Listening to customer feedback about your products and services and providing exceptional after-sales support are also excellent ways to ensure that your customers will want to keep patronizing your brand. This often got ignored especially when business is doing great but later on analysts get back to them if something goes wrong with a business.
Customer feedback act like your guide if you’re still in the right track. Remember that customer is always right and we must show that we value them just so we can buiild a good relationship to them.
Partner with the right people and companies
Business is not just about competition; it’s also about partnership. Collaborating with other companies or renowned personalities can do wonders for a brand.
When done correctly, partnerships can help a company reach a wider audience and tap into new markets. It can also lend credibility to a business. After all, if other big names are vouching for the company, it must be doing something right.
Think long-term
When it comes to branding, businesses should think long-term. Branding strategies must be sustainable and not just a fad. The goal is to make an impact that will last for years or even decades.
Companies should be patient with their branding initiatives and refrain from giving up when they don’t see results immediately. The key is to keep moving forward and learn from past mistakes.
Don’t hesitate to make changes when necessary. Do not change your brand, but do change how you are representing it. Usually that got a great impact on branding success it does not just rely on how your brand looks like.
Conclusion
Brand and branding are two different concepts. The brand is the identity, while branding gives that identity life. Having a strong visual identity and consistent message across all channels is key.
More importantly, businesses must focus on building customer loyalty and think long-term.
We encourage companies to consider these strategies when working on their branding initiatives. After all, a strong brand is vital to the success of any business.
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