Good business not only starts with marketing, but must be carried over throughout the sales process, execution, and support of the products and services we sell. We must provide good will and focus our energy on listening and helping rather than talking and selling.
If we follow these 5 principles we will be well on our way to creating a strong and consistent brand that will be championed by employees and customers alike.
Infographic Source: boutiquedigital.co.uk
1: Brand is not what you say it is. It’s what they say it is
We always have a wrong perception that we know our industry the best, but we should always listen to what our clients and site visitors are saying, after all, it’s their perception that defines our brand. A great way to listen to our clients is by creating feedback mechanisms including and monitoring social media channels for input. Qualitative and quantitative surveys, polls and analytics can provide valuable insights into our brand.
2: Victory belongs to the most persevering
Continuously investing in and improving research, creative, technology, process and service strengthens our brand and positions our business to outpace the competition. Organize a company meeting periodically to identify and discuss ways to improve. Initiatives are ranked in order of importance and each employee provides input. We walk out of that meeting with defined actions necessary to achieve those initiatives. We then meet again after two weeks to review our goals, assess progress and arrange our priorities.
3: A brand becomes stronger when you narrow the focus
If you had to say what you do in one sentence, could you make a strong statement? Would that sentence encapsulate your strengths, vision and values? Narrowing the focus to one “Big Idea” resonates with customers, is easy to remember and acts as a springboard from which all other ideas and creative are spawned. This focus ultimately strengthens your brand and differentiates you from your competition.
4: The goal of creating a brand identity is not just surface consistency but inner coherence
Whether the customer is reviewing a website, using a product, or speaking to a customer service representative, the brand should feel familiar and the experience should have the desired effect. Coherence begins with one company strategy, a unified voice, clarity and simplicity; and should be consistent through every touch-point.
5: Doing good is good business
In today’s markets there are so many businesses that make promises they cannot deliver upon. From pay-per-click ads to billboards, we are inundated with sales jargon and the promise of delivery at the lowest cost, only to face a bad experience once we have committed.
Few Tips for An Excellent Branding Program
• Keep It Simple: one big idea is best.
• Mass-produced word of mouth (PR) builds brands.
• Focused brands are more powerful than diffused brands.
• Somehow, some way, you have to be different.
• The first brand in a category has a huge advantage.
• Avoid sub-brands at all cost.
• Quality is important, but not as important as the perception of quality.
• Be consistent and patient. Building a strong brand takes time.
• Put your brand definition in writing, otherwise you’ll get off course.
Zahoor Bhat has over 10+ years of experience as an online editor and media manager. He has worked with major online news and content sites as a media manager. He is well versed with major content management systems and web platforms such as WordPress and social media networks including Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google Business, Yelp, Instagram & Linkedin. He is an expert in content creation, proofreading and finally making it live. Being a social media expert, he is able to make relations with social media influencers and make sure to generate leads and grow business via different social media platforms.
