4.02 – Building A Powerful Brand
Your small business may not have the global recognition of a “power brand,” but you can still become the most powerful brand within your target market. Achieving this requires:
- Understanding the brand image you want to project
- Developing a unique point of difference that’s relevant and beneficial to your target audience
- Committing to consistently projecting your brand
- Investing adequately to reach your target market
- Ensuring your marketing efforts consistently reinforce your desired brand image
Being Consistent to Power Your Brand
A strong brand is built through a consistent look, tone, and quality at every customer touchpoint, whether in person or through marketing, online or offline.
Consistency is key. People are bombarded with thousands of images daily, filtering out all but the familiar and relevant ones. To make your brand recognizable and trustworthy, present it consistently—always.
Avoid changing your brand image unless absolutely necessary. Consistency builds brands, and brands build businesses. Imagine if Campbell’s Soup changed their iconic label; it could confuse customers and hurt sales. Consistency is essential to brand recognition and trust.
Taking Six Brand-Management Steps
Define Your Purpose
Why does your business exist? What makes your business or personal brand unique? Clearly articulate the reason for your business and the positive change you aim to achieve.
Consider Perception
What do you want people to think when they hear your name? Ensure that the image you want to project is believable to your employees, prospects, customers, suppliers, and associates. Align your business practices to support this brand image.
Choose Defining Words
Ask employees, associates, and customers what images come to mind when they hear your name. Ensure these words match your desired brand image. Use these defining words consistently in your marketing communications to shape public perception.
Pinpoint Advantages
Identify the unique advantages you want associated with your business. This defines the position you want to occupy in consumers’ minds.
Define Your Brand
Look at your business from the customer’s perspective. What do people say and think about your company? Why do they choose your business repeatedly? Summarize these insights into one clear brand definition. For example:
- Volvo: The safest car
- CNN: The middle-of-the-road, all-news channel
- Google: The top Internet search engine
Build Your Brand Through Impressions
Continuously audit your brand’s impression points. Ensure each touchpoint enhances your brand and consistently projects the desired image. Evaluate how well each impression aligns with your brand’s clarity and consistency.
By following these steps, you can build a powerful brand that resonates with your target market and fosters loyalty and trust.
