Your Brand has an identity!
Whether you know it or not, your brand has an identity which leaves an impression on consumers. A first impression is when a person first encounters another person and forms a mental image or bias of that person in their mind. First impressions are very real, and they exist not only in our personal lives, but also in our businesses. Consumers make first impressions of a business, its product or its service the moment they see the brand. This means that your brand is a vital component of your overall marketing strategy and success.
There are three important things your brand will do for you:
#1 Your Brand has a Voice and Personality!
Your brand is not just a name or logo, it is an interaction with consumers and clients. If your brand was a person, how would you describe its personality to someone? How does your brand’s personality make it different? Every brand has a voice and personality, and it is up to businesses to ensure the personality your brand is portraying is what you want. For example, in media, there are so many different genres from fun, to active, to documentary, to news. MTC, for example, cannot be branded the same as CNN.
Create the voice you want your brand to have!
#2 Your Brand Differentiates You!
Differentiation is a marketing strategy in which your brand identifies the one thing that makes it genuinely different from others and then leverages this in its branding and messaging. (Agency Ascend). It is vital that you survey the branding of your competitors and then create a brand that is totally different from your competitors. The key is to find what will differentiate you in the consumers’ mind.
For example, although Uber and Lyft provide the same type of service, the branding for the two organizations are vastly different. Uber’s brand is more conservative and exclusive, while Lyft’s brand is more casual, fun and relaxed. This differentiation was a key part of Lyft’s success in the market.
Find out what’s out there, find out what makes you unique, then brand yourself uniquely!
#3 Your Brand Sells for You!
There is a saying that goes: “Stop Selling and Start Branding”! How true is that.
Your product may meet consumer needs, but your brand meets consumer wants. When you and a competitor have a similar product with a similar price, the business with the better branding will always come out on top. So don’t focus on what you offer—focus on what motivates people to buy.
In a world with limitless choices, appealing to a consumer’s emotions will help your brand sell for you.