A strong brand identity is the secret to distinguishing your products or services in a crowded marketplace. It also helps your business retain long-term customers.
Good news: you don’t have to do something expensive or outrageous to get attention. By implementing these 4 strategies, you can build a memorable brand that sets you apart from your competition:
- Design a Visual Brand Identity
Since most people’s memories are triggered by visual cues, it’s imperative that there’s a visual component to your branding.
Before you jump into designing a logo, consider this:
People associate brands with colors – e.g. Coca-Cola’s red, Amex’s blue.
Identify the emotions you want to evoke in your customers’ mind and explore how you can achieve them through the use of colors.
People buy with emotions – when the color associated with your brand triggers the desired feelings, they’re more likely to purchase.
Since a large part of a purchasing decision is based on emotions, picking the right color for your brand can impact your bottom line. It’s best to make your decision based on research and testing, instead of just going with your gut feelings.
To further set you apart from your competitions that may choose similar colors, use secondary and tertiary colors to create a unique color combo so when customers see the palette, your company is the first thing that comes to mind.
For a startup, the first few years in business will probably see several redesigns of its logo as the company evolves. Make sure to allocate resources to this task so your brand is always properly represented.
It doesn’t mean you can skimp on your first logo even though it may change over time. Use your chosen color palette, and make sure it’s unique, simple and memorable.
Your logo gives your potential customers the important first impression of your company, so it’s important to have it professionally designed rather than cobbling together clip arts or public domain images on your own.
- Set the Tone On Social Media
Social media is great for having two-way interactions with your followings. The key is to set the tone that’s on-brand so every interaction reinforces your brand identity.
Simply blasting out promotional messages no longer works. Instead, get your most creative, tolerant and friendly staff members to interact with customers on social media.
Your followers don’t just want to hear what you have to sell. They’re on social media to be entertained, inspired and have conversations so make sure you’re providing value, inspiring, listening and interacting.
To best leverage the power of social media to reinforce your brand identity, find out which social media platforms are most popular among your customers and design an on-going campaign to focus on engagement and interactions. Tracking your social media metrics and interactions is also important to fully optimize and be aware of your ROI.
- Show Up Regularly
Out of sight, out of mind.
Sending out regular email newsletters with useful information and/or special offer can help your company stay top of mind while positioning your brand as a relevant resource or expert.
When your subscribers need your type of products or services, you’ll be right there in their inbox.
To do so, select an email marketing service to send out these regular updates.
Pay attention to the design and content of your emails so they match your other online and offline marketing materials while reflecting your brand identity.
As more and more people are viewing their emails on their mobile devices, make sure your email template is mobile responsive.
GetResponse has found that 40% of newsletter subscribers instantly delete emails not optimized for smartphones or tablets.
Last but not least, write conversationally in a way that matches your brand’s tone and voice to deliver a consistent brand experience that maximizes engagement.
- Be Consistent Across the Board
Your online and offline customer touch points, such as products, website, stationery, staff work-wear and vehicles, need to communicate a consistent core value and message.
Consistency helps you build trust and nurture relationships.
Visual branding is important, but that’s not all.
Train your staff to communicate in a way that reinforces your brand identity in all customer interactions.
When you launch a marketing campaign, communicate the main objectives and message to your team members so everyone is onboard to deliver a consistent customer experience that reinforces your brand identity.
Staff training in properly representing your brand’s message is essential before launching any campaigns. Every employee should have clear understanding of the brand value and marketing message so they deliver a consistent experience every single time.
Your turn:
How are you delivering a consistent brand image for your customers? Leave a comment below to share your experience:
