Building a brand is not an easy task. You need to think hundreds of ways on how to convince people to believe in your business and the quality of your products.
Once you get their trust, your audience will have faith in your product or service and they will eventually share to their peers how great your brand is.
Effective branding can lead to rapid sales growth. If you’re a small player in the industry, you may be doubting yourself if you can build a powerful brand.
Competing against giant brands can be a real struggle, but if you have a solid brand building process, you can make a mark in the industry.
Whether you’re rebranding or you’re just starting your business, here are some useful tips that can help you build a powerful brand.
1. Create a brand identity
A 2018 study has revealed that 71 percent of consumers said that it was important that they recognize a brand before they make a purchase.
This goes to show that you should prioritize brand identity before anything else. It will help you establish who you are.
Having a cohesive identity can help you communicate to potential clients effectively and of course, it will differentiate your business from your competition.
McDonald’s is one of the brands that is known worldwide for its brand identity.
The American fast-food chain uses its Golden Arches as part of its iconic logo. McDonald’s has undergone a few redesigns, but they still use the color red and yellow.
According to a survey by Sponsorship Research International, their logo is more recognized by people than the Christian cross. Unbelievable, right? That’s what you call excellent branding.
Aside from a logo, you also need to create a simple yet powerful brand statement.
In 2003, McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” became the worldwide slogan of the company. It’s only a generic phrase, but it’s catchy and when someone hears it, it’s automatically associated with the fast-food chain.
Take a look at this TikTok video where students try to guess slogans from different brands. Within 2 seconds, they were able to identify which brands are related to popular taglines.
People should recognize your brand with the logo, tagline, typography, color palette, or even the packaging of your products. You need to associate these to your brand effectively.
Make sure that you have a very recognizable visual brand and tagline that will make you stand out among competitors and will make an impact to the target audience.
2. Be consistent
You need to keep in mind that consistency is essential when you’re building a brand.
Whatever your brand message is, you should stay consistent with everything. When your brand is consistent, people will remember you more.
It can also help you build trust and loyalty from your consumers.
Nike is one of the most popular brands in the world that is consistent with their messaging.
They are committed in supporting driven and strong athletes.
Remember the 2018 “Dream Crazy” campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick?
Nike still supports Kepernick with his mission even though he got involved in a controversial issue. Since he’s an ex-athlete, it still aligns with the brand’s core mission.
The ad went viral on social media for a while. Some show their support, but others who don’t agree with Kaepernick’s protest against police brutality started posting videos destroying their Nike apparel.
First the @NFL forces me to choose between my favorite sport and my country. I chose country. Then @Nike forces me to choose between my favorite shoes and my country. Since when did the American Flag and the National Anthem become offensive? pic.twitter.com/4CVQdTHUH4
— Sean Clancy (@sclancy79) September 3, 2018
Although it sparked social media outrage, Nike still earned the Outstanding Commercial Award during the 71st Annual Emmy Awards. It’s a big win for the brand.
It was a powerful polarizing statement campaign by Nike, but in the end, it aligns with Nike’s brand, and their sales increased 31% despite the controversy.
Consistency is the key. People need to know why they should believe in your brand.
3. Push innovation and technology into your service
This might not look like a marketing thing, but innovation and technology will always be a part of business especially in the digital age.
To remain competitive, companies should always think about what are the things that they can innovate to meet the customers’ evolving needs.
Take it from Walmart’s new “InHome Delivery” service.
The company is giving their customers an option to have their groceries delivered inside their homes.
To use the delivery service, shoppers must allow Walmart to install a smart lock on their home or garage. Then, they can order through the Walmart mobile app or website.
According to a Coresight Research, the number of US shoppers buying groceries online is growing rapidly. 36.8 percent of consumers bought groceries online from 23.1 percent in 2018’s survey.
Launching Walmart’s new delivery feature is a great move for the company.
It will help busy shoppers who don’t have time to go to physical stores a chance to buy their groceries efficiently.
The company is proving that through technology, they continue to improve their services to provide a better shopping experience.
Always remember that innovation is in its own version of marketing. Make sure that you’re constantly looking for improvement and innovation.
4. Tell amazing stories
It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, you have to tell stories to get people care about you.
Think about stories you can tell your customers, whether it’s a testimonial, interview, or case study, powerful storytelling is a big part of every brand’s success.
In 2015, Procter & Gamble’s Always launched #LikeAGirl campaign which aims to encourage girls to keep their confidence by “tackling the societal limitations that stand in their way.”
According to their survey, 72% of girls do feel society limits them. That’s why the brand associated it with their mission to empower girls and tell a story that all women can relate.
The message of the campaign is groundbreaking and it garnered almost 70 million views on YouTube.
Up until now, people are still using the #LikeAGirl hashtag online when they’re posting something about women empowerment.
Always’ campaign became successful because they figured out what’s the best medium to put their story on. They captured the emotions of their audience through an empowering video.
So if you’re thinking of telling amazing stories for your target market, identify your medium. It can be videos, blog posts, podcasts, or anything that you think will work for your brand.
Tell them often and tell them deep. Make sure they’re connecting with your audience.
