You think
branding is for large companies only; well then think again. In the words of
Robert Kiyosaki; "If you are not a brand, you are a commodity". So
why is it that so few small-business owners invest in building their brands?
Some may
argue that they have got other demands on their time. Brand building may seem
relatively unimportant when you're still struggling to get your product to
market or to find your product-market fit. But don't dismiss the power
of brand building entirely.
You don't
have to hire an expensive brand strategist or outsource this job to a branding
agency. But you do need to go beyond designing a colored logo for your company
and calling that your "brand".
In order
to build a strong brand I encourage you to follow the steps of successful
businesses out there. Don't copy and paste their work; all you have to do is to
study the pattern and then invent your own presence. Here are five powerful
branding lessons you can learn from big brands:
1)
Develop all-encompassing brand standards.
Take a
second and think about everything you know about the Coca-Cola brand. Now,
imagine that the company released a new violet can with the words "Coca-Cola"
in a bold sans-serif font.
It would
be very difficult to imagine such picture. That's because Coca-Cola has one of
the clearest all-encompassing brand standards out there. Everything from the
company's packaging, its social-media profiles to its television
commercials draws on the same colors, fonts, motifs and experiences. None
of that is by accident.
A major
part of Coca-Cola's success comes from its ability to transmit feelings and
expectations to its customers through its branded elements. When you see that red
and white can, you know you're going to get a crisp, refreshing beverage, no
matter where in the world you're buying it.
You can
do the same for your company. Start by learning how to develop
a comprehensive brand standard and about the mistakes many
companies encounter when going through this process.
2)
Dedicate one person to enforce brand standards.
Now that
you've set your brand standard, it is now your duty to ensure it is followed by
everyone in your company. Appoint a single person to be responsible about
branding within your organization. If you're working on new packaging, this
person should be involved. Same goes for the creation of any new marketing
materials.
No matter
how branded elements play into your company's business processes, give this
person the overarching authority to make changes; even if they aren't convenient.
Just like
Coca-Cola wouldn't let that violet can go down its assembly line, you too don't
let anything your company produces interfere with the standards you've set for
yourself. Doing so will only create confusion and diminish the effectiveness of
your efforts.
3)
Embrace storytelling.
There is
no better example illustrating the power of storytelling in branding than the
"Find Your Greatness" campaign videos produced by Nike.
The video
unfolds like a movie, features an unexpected protagonist and includes a moral
lesson shared by an accented narrator. Technically speaking; it's got all the
hallmarks of a Hollywood movie, packed into a single minute of campaign
footage.
Using
the power of storytelling isn't limited to the big brands alone. Share
the story of how your company came to be. Post case studies that show how you've
impacted the stories of your customers. Forget about talking like a marketer
and instead focus on sharing the things that make your company unique. You'll
be amazed at how quickly your customers adopt these stories and spread them for
you.
4) Take
advantage of big data.
Big data open
to your business bug chances. Big data is one of marketing's latest buzzwords,
but just because it's "big" doesn't mean it's only available to big
businesses. Chances are you already have a number of programs producing data
for you, from Google Analytics to your customer-relationship management system and more. The real question is: are you actually doing
anything with this data?
Start by
figuring out what metrics matter most for your company's success. Then, figure
out how to extract reports from your data sources that will measure your
progress towards these key performance indicators.
Once a
month or more or less frequently depending on the length of your sales cycle,
run your reports, read through them and make changes based on what you find.
Don't
overcomplicate things, and don't get overwhelmed by the amount of data you have
access to. Begin with this simple process, but refine your approaches as you
get more comfortable harnessing the power of data.
5) Get
involved in the community.
At its
core, branding should draw people in. People who observe your branded elements
should feel that they're part of your business community, that they have a
shared bond with others in the same situation. Some big brands choose to make
this relationship more explicit, as in the case of Expedia's "Find Yours"
campaign:
The
campaign encourages participants to share their travel stories, creating a
powerful sense of community amongst those featured in the videos, as well as
those who view them. No matter how you approach it, find ways to encourage your
customers to share their experiences with your brand. It's a powerful approach
to community-building that serves the dual purpose of building brand
exposure and awareness as well.
That brings us to the end of this article. What do you find the most
beneficial strategy? Do you have any other advice you would like to share with
us? Comment below, we would love to hear from you.
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