Brand recognition is priceless in our modern digital world. When the mere name of a brand evokes positive feelings, you know that person is a loyal customer. When it comes to planning your business and forming strategies, having a loyal customer base is incredibly important. All the more reason for you to invest, plan and execute a flawless brand strategy. Luckily for you, there are plenty of ways to improve and cement your position in your customer’s minds!
1. Nothing beats quality
Every one of us is by now conditioned to filter out mass marketing, commercials, advertisements and poor attempts at baiting our attention. Thousands of companies compete for a spot in their customer’s heads but rarely do they succeed. Most companies focus on bombarding customers with endless streams of messages and attempts to reel them in. When you wish to establish your brand as something more than white noise you need to offer quality.
Whether it’s products, services or blog posts, whatever you produce should add value to your customers’ lives. You can monitor your website for performance and see the results for yourself. Publishing article after article and endlessly pumping money into ads will produce little results. But making a genuine effort to respect your customers and their time will reflect on your brand!
2. Pay attention to headlines
The phrase “You only get to make a first impression once!” has been worn out by now, but it still stood the test of time. You can have the best blog post, product or service in the world, but if your first sentence doesn’t captivate the customers, it will all be for nothing. Headlines in your email marketing are paramount for the overall success of your campaign, and when you do them right, you will bring more customers to your brand.
People respect honesty, direct communication and clear messages. If you can offer them any of these (or all three ideally) you will catch their attention. From there, all you need to do is be consistent, and your products and services will build your brand. Let your work speak for you, and people will associate your brand with quality.
3. Think global and act local
If your local market can not grasp or have a positive opinion about your brand, then chances are that you will fail on a global level. Winning the hearts and minds of customers on a smaller scale is not easier than on a global one, but it secures a safe customer base. Everything you learn on a local level can scale to the global one. When you succeed in your immediate surroundings, you can call upon your customers to help you in your global endeavor.
You can always outsource your immediate branding strategy needs to event management companies to get the ball rolling. The sooner you start building your brand with your domestic crowd, the sooner you will have proof of concept for further advancements. Speaking of proof of concept, this brings us to our next topic.
4. Great minds think alike
When building a brand, you usually start as the underdog in the tale, and it may seem like you can’t secure a foothold. You need people to notice you so they can appreciate and get attached to your company, but how can you start with little to no exposure? The answer comes in customer testimonials, Google reviews and user proof of concept. Satisfied customers write Google reviews, and you should capitalize on each. By taking some time and answering each one, you are giving people attention, and bringing highlights to their opinions.
Which is what all people love, and they will associate the experience with your brand. From existing customers, you can always ask for live testimonials, which you can wear like a badge of honor on your site and show to the world. People love tales from other people and are more likely to trust them than any brand. When you gain momentum, you will see the snowball effect as more and more customers recognize your brand as the right one for them!
5. Have firm standards!
“Those that stand for nothing will fall for anything!” A strong brand needs to lie on indestructible foundations of principles. Your brand has to be clear about the standards, values, meaning and message it projects to the world. People love companies with a backbone and character, as this help build a strong image in their minds. Your company’s presence on social media must be firm, and consistent, and promote positive values. Such actions draw the attention of like-minded customers who flock to your messages and contribute to your customer base. Whatever you choose as your ideals and standards, you need to stick to them, as people hate companies with fluctuating morals.
6. Optimise every step of the experience
We have to say this again, louder for the people in the back row! You only get one chance to make a first impression. If you’ve done everything right so far, but have a faulty, confusing and non-functional site, your brand reputation goes down the drain! How your site and service operate is how people will perceive your brand. Emotions attach to experience, so make sure your site is made to impress. Site load speeds should be under three seconds, mobile-friendly, direct and clear to navigate.
These are the bare minimum, and you can expand by making your logo designed to perfection, always visible and consistent with your products and services. Furthermore, make sure that your online presence is consistent on every platform. Strong and reliable brands tell the same stories and offer the same level of services wherever they are.
The world is filled with brands that we associate with positive experiences that have brought value to our lives. Your company can also join this hall of fame by making an effort to stand out. There are no shortcuts to success, and each genuine effort you make will not go unnoticed. The sooner you start, the sooner you will see the results of your endeavour!
You may want to read more,
