Why invest in a brand?
For a few very good business reasons: Break through the chaos; add perceived value; add power to all marketing and generate ongoing response from specific target audiences.
Three solid reasons to build a brand
One: Too many choices
We are a society inundated with choices, more choices than ever before. People are overwhelmed. Everyone is looking for simplicity, authenticity and clarity.
Studies have shown that when there are too many choices, people often refuse to choose. They just give up. When offering taste tests, for example, if there are more than 7 options sales are not impacted. But if there are 5 or fewer, people will sample and sales go up.
People want every choice to be easy, not confusing or complicated. Whether consumer products or business to business, people are still people. They want to know “What’s in it for me?”
Have you defined — from your audiences’ point of view — what you offer that’s unique, special, different? Or are you still a “me too” brand? Defining the message and the brand context will give your audiences the reasons they need to choose you.
Two: Add value
Good branding adds perceived value to every message, every appearance of your brand. It moves any organization from competing on price to competing on the value provided to the target audiences. If there is nothing to distinguish your brand from the rest, the default comparison is price.
By pinpointing the elements that make the brand/company and products unique in their market and emphasizing specific benefits, audiences will know how to choose. By leveraging those benefits at each point of choice to restate benefits and add a call to action, target audiences will choose your brand.
Have you made it clear each time you present your message and brand how your audience should respond? Do you have a call to action on every web page or on every brochure? Making it simple and clear is essential. The easier it is to respond, the more likely you’ll receive the response you’re looking for.
Three: Add power to your marketing
A brand adds power all marketing. By establishing a visual and verbal identity that is recognizable, your organization, products and message will be noticed. You will stand out from the chaos. There will be a visual connection to the target audiences, consistency between marketing messages and media, and a story — a reason to buy — that’s compelling and memorable.
Creating the verbal and visual brand is just the first step. Maintaining consistency amongst all channels is essential. And bringing the brand to life internally–with resources, templates and tools — will ensure your brand is supported and enhanced in every connection.
Optimizing the brand in all channels
These days, there are more communication channels, more ways for your audiences to interact with you. More chances to create a brand experience. It’s easy to spread your resources too thin trying to cover all of the options.
An optimized brand is narrowly focused on the essential audiences. It integrates the ideas, the visuals and the messages into positioning. It builds from your audiences’ perceptions and influences them where they choose to interact. It’s supported and adopted by those who embody it.
Because there are so many channels and choices now, the optimized brand helps you focus instead of spreading resources amongst all of the options.
When a brand is optimized there is more power. Stronger purpose. Clearer components. And bigger results.
- Learn more about our brand optimization methodology on our website.
- Determine your position in your market, essential to rising above the rest, with our free worksheet.
- Will a new name help you bring clarity to your brand? It can! Use our worksheet.
Of course, you can give us a call to talk branding. Toll-free 866.363.4433. Or drop us an email at optimize@creativeco.com.
