Brand creation is much more than designing a good-looking logo! Great brands come from great strategy, so here are BRANDiT’s top tips to help you nail your brand goals.
Research, Research, Research
Ever loved a product, but the brand gave you serious ick vibes? According to this article, even BMW are guilty of this!
If so, chances are the brand has made some bad decisions when doing their research.
The best brands invest in research and use this data to shape their brand messaging so that their products resonate with consumers.
The result? A brand that aligns beautifully with the wants, needs and values of your consumers. Which in turn establishes a connection between your product and consumer, creating trust and brand loyalty.
Know your Audience
You know your product inside out – tick!
But, what do you know about the people who will be buying and using it?
These people are what marketers call your target audience. And, knowing your target audience as well as you know your product is essential for successful brand creation.
What sort of things do you need to know? The answer is different for every product, but generally, you’ll want to understand quantitative data (such as age and gender demographics, where they live, their household structure and income), through to qualitative data such as their purchasing behaviours, interests, preferences, and pain points.
From Census data and market research through to surveys, interviews and focus groups, there are plenty of ways to get to know your target audience. So, no excuses for skipping this step!
Crush on Your Competitors
No, we’re not saying you should get in the wrestling ring. We’re saying you should know as much about your competitors as the person your heart is crushing on!
Doing competitor research in marketing is like peeking at your schoolmate’s homework. It gives you a heads-up on what’s working for them, what’s not, and where you can stand out. It helps you avoid their mistakes and makes sure that your brand strategy stands out as being unique to you.
Make Your Brand SHOUT
Why make your brand stand out? Think of the marketplace as a crowded room. Having a strong, attention-grabbing brand gives your product a spotlight, platform and megaphone!
You’ve done your research, so now is the time to apply what you know. Showcase what makes your brand different (we call this your USP – Unique Selling Proposition).
Aim to have your brand’s personality flow through all your touchpoints. And, keep this consistent! Right from your visual language and written copy through to your customers’ experience. This helps build a long and authentic relationship between your audience and brand.
Develop Your Strategy (and keep on calibrating!)
Think of your strategy as a road map. It’s your plan that gets you from A to B, with as few obstacles as possible.
A great brand strategy clearly outlines your purpose, goals and how you’re going to achieve them.
Your strategy will guide your business decisions, so investing effort into this is worthwhile.
Remember too, strategy isn’t a ‘set and forget’! For long-term resilience, your strategy needs to adapt if conditions change. Consumer behaviour, economic shifts and new competition are all variables that can affect your brand’s performance. Keeping your strategy up to date and delivering results relies on regular maintenance and fine-tuning. It’s like calibrating a piece of machinery to keep everything running smoothly.
Help, I’m Still Stuck on Brand Creation & Strategy!
Still not sure how to tackle your brand creation or brand strategy? BRANDiT to the rescue!
Our team of brand specialists are among the best in the business. Every day we live, breathe, talk (and sometimes dream!) about brand creation and brand strategy. Creating memorable brands and connecting people with these is at the core of what BRANDiT does. So, if your brand strategy has you stuck, don’t despair! Get in touch and we’ll help get you on your way to brand success.
