Developing your brand

Transcription

1 Developing your Brand 1

2 Introduction 2

3 What is your Brand? An invaluable asset in the battle for customers. The source of a promise to your consumer. The foundation of your marketing communication. A vital business tool you do not want to be without. 3

4 Definition of Brand. The American Marketing Association defines a Brand as a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers. It is important to understand that Branding is not about getting your target market to choose you over the competition, but rather about getting them to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problem. 4

5 What should it achieve? Delivers the message clearly. Confirms your credibility. Connects your target prospects emotionally. Motivates the buyer. Concretes user loyalty. Your Brand resides within the hearts and minds of customers, clients, and prospects. It is the sum total of their experiences and perceptions, some of which you can influence, and some that you cannot. 5

6 Make the most of your Brand. To succeed in Branding you must understand the needs and wants of your customers and prospects. You do this by integrating your Brand strategies through your company at every point of public contact. It s important to spend time investing in researching, defining, and building your Brand. 6

7 Define your Brand 7

8 Why define your Brand? By defining your Brand you create the foundation for all other components to build on. Your Brand definition will serve as your measuring stick in evaluating any and all marketing materials and strategies. 8

9 How to define your Brand? Begin this process by answering these questions. What products and/or services do you offer? Define the qualities of these services and/or products. What are the core values of your company? What are the core values of your products and services? What is the mission of your company? What does your company specialise in? Who is your target market and who do your products/services attract? What is the tag line of your company? What message does your tag line send to your prospects? 9

10 Define your personality. Using the answers you have obtained create a personality or character for your company that represents your products or services. What is the character like? What qualities stand out? Is the personality of your company innovative, creative, energetic, or sophisticated? 10

11 Assess your relationship. Use this personality profile and build a relationship with your defined target market. How does that personality react to target audience? What characteristics stand out? Which characteristics and qualities get the attention of your prospects. 11

12 Create a profile of your Brand. Review the information you have collected and create a profile of your Brand. Describe the personality or character with words just as if you were writing a biography or personal ad. Be creative. 12

13 Determine objectives 13

14 Determine Brand objectives. Critical to effective Brand management is the clear definition of the Brand s audience and the objectives that the Brand needs to achieve. Your Brand should be comprised of the company personality, image, core competencies and characteristics. The impressions that you make as well as the words people will use to describe your company to others, are the basic framework of your Brand. What are the objectives that you hope to achieve? 14

15 Determine Brand objectives. To determine your Brand objectives ask yourself the following questions: What is it that you want your Brand to do for your company? What do you want others to know and say about your products or services? Sample objectives may include being recognised by receiving a specific award, picking up a certain number of choice projects, gaining a specific number of new clients in the next year, positioning your company as an industry leader in the next five months... but its your Brand and your objectives... 15

16 Develop a plan. Once you ve determined your objectives the next step is to build and develop your Brand strategy by listing out how, when, and what you are going to do to accomplish and meet those Brand objectives. Don t stop there! Once you ve finished take time to list out what you can do in the next month or this quarter to meet that objective. Be specific and schedule those action items in your business calendar. 16

17 Define your market 17

18 Define your target market. No matter what your Brand mission is, identifying and gaining the devotion of your target audience is the necessary means to reaching your objectives. The power of your Brand relies on the ability to focus. That is why defining your target market will help to strengthen your Brand s effectiveness. 18

19 Informal market analysis. Conduct your own research, ask yourself the following questions. Who is your target audience? Where is your target audience located? What do they think about your current Brand? What would you like them to think about your Brand? How will you attract them to your products or services? Who else is competing for their loyalty and devotion? Are you targeting business or consumer sectors? 19

20 Informal market analysis. Make your study as complete as possible. Use the Internet to conduct research. You can also read news stories that are related to your target market and talk to existing customers and suppliers. Try to narrow down your target by: interest; demographic; and common trends. 20

21 Target market description. Now write a target market description. The more specific the better. Second draft a statement on the type of relationship you would like to have with your clients or customers. 21

22 Brand barriers 22

23 Crushing your Brand barriers. Brand barriers are market conditions that can keep your product or service from achieving success and can include: competition; timing; financing; location; and lack of demand. 23

24 Face your obstacles. In order to be prepared to face these obstacles or barriers it is important to spend time doing a careful analysis of your product or service. This analysis will assist you not only in the development of your Brand, but also in the positioning of your product or service. 24

25 Tackle your obstacles. Ask yourself the following questions: Do you have a niche market? What problem does your product or service solve or need? How should you determine the price of your product or service? Who are your potential customers and where can you find them? Who are your biggest competitors? What can you do better than them? How should you advertise? Where will you find your target market? Will you use new media or traditional media? 25

26 Tackle your obstacles. To find your answers complete research using: internet tools to establish demand based on how often your product or service is searched for; competitors website and online tools that help you track there changes and updates; trade publications; and industry surveys and research documents. 26

27 Brand identity 27

28 How strong is your identity? Branding is your identity in the marketplace, is yours saying what it should? Your company image is all about the appearance you present of your business at every contact point you make with customers, suppliers and the world at large. What is your company image saying to the marketplace? What is your company image saying to the big wide world? 28

29 The story so far. So far in this presentation we have discussed the general principles of understanding and developing your Brand. As an existing business you may feel you have already addressed many of the points raised. But take a moment to ask yourself if you have really, and whether if you have, you have reviewed them recently? Being able to present a documented vision of your Brand to your design and marketing team will have a significant impact on the focus they will be able to bring to your communications. This will assist the creation of effective communications. 29

30 Align your strategy and design. As a business grows there is a need to ensure that the Brand strategy and the business identity is both: focussed; and fit for the challenges ahead. 30

31 Creating the right image. It s important to realise every presentation of your Brand always has, either a negative, or a positive influence on the purchaser. A negative impression can deter a potential customer, just as a positive reaction can influence a customer to buy. 31

32 A framework for success. For every business there is a natural conflict between dealing with day-to-day business and communication needs and the requirement to stay focussed on the bigger picture. To achieve long-term Brand strength there is a need to document the visual framework upon which you will build your Brand. This will achieve: a platform for consistent message delivery; a tool for explaining your Brand both internally and externally; and documentation of the approach for analysis and challenge. 32

33 Creating your guidelines. Identity guidelines are often thought of, on a basic level, as a printed manual of rules which define the use of elements such as a company logo, typeface and colours. In reality they should be considered a flexible framework on which the fully rounded structure of your Brand can be built. The way you look, sound and the story you have to tell will touch every aspect of your communications. Consistent but creative delivery is key to building a strong Brand. 33

34 The basics. There are elements within every identity which must be defined and applied strictly if they are to become true identifiers of all the Brand stands for. These elements are: reproduction of the logo; use of colour; use of an identifier (if part of the identity); typographic consistency; and style of photography. 34

35 Beyond the basics. To be truly effective an identity guide needs to go beyond the basics and address specifically every aspect of your communications strategy, including: all printed materials - external and internal brochures, leaflets, advertising, corporate stationary, etc; all digital communications website, s and audio visual presentations; social media Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, etc; and every public point of contact with customers and clients. 35

36 Develop your guidelines. Documenting the elements that form the building bocks of your Brand provides a window of opportunity to assess, align and refine. The process does not have overwhelm your day-to-day activities and need not be excessive in cost. There will however need to be a commitment to the task of time and financial investment. Depending upon your assessment of your current position the process can be delivered with dramatic effect or in stages creating a structure that can expand over time. 36

37 Nurture your Brand. Defining your Brand is a big task. You must think of yourself as the parent of a new born child. Once created you will need to nurture it, help it evolve and at times direct it to ensure it grows into a strong and fully rounded entity capable of surviving the big bad world. Like every good parent you should also be prepared to listen to your Brand and take notice of its thoughts and needs. Your guidelines should not be rigid and should be subject to challenge. Flexibility and the capacity to embrace new ideas should remain at the very centre of its ethos. 37

38 Your reward. As with all parent and child relationships, if managed well your Brand will develop a capacity to reward you efforts many times over. An inspiration in times of need. A helpful assistant in life s great challenges. A source of pride in all it has achieved. Grand aspirations granted. But then don t we have those for all our children. 38

39 Antony Cox Helping business with Brand, Communication and Social Media t m e antony.c@ac4designs.co.uk w f in Thank you for your time. 39