Being in a Marketing role, I realize the importance Corporate Branding plays in the success of a business. What I have noticed, however, is the large amount of businesses today which think otherwise. Many business’ perceptions of Corporate Branding remain stuck in this idea that branding a company and its products is some sort of “icing on the cake”—so to speak. Branding has become somewhat mundane in the minds of some business individuals and takes a back seat to other business-generating practices. As far as I’m concerned, what those businesses are missing out on is a chance to move their products and services to the forefront of consumers’ minds; this would, in turn, create more business for these companies. What better way to generate business than to use brand recognition and recall to your advantage? I know in my mind, the choice is simple: give branding the proper attention it deserves and increase overall business through customer brand loyalty.
Chicago Graphic Design
To shed some light on this topic, and to provide simple solutions for business who are interested in shaping their brand, I have provided a few branding tips:
1. Establish Your Market
It will be very difficult for your company to achieve its business objectives if there is no clear direction in which it is heading. The first step to finding your company’s “direction” is to establish your target market. Identify the type of individual you are targeting down to as much detail as you feel fit; overanalyzing your market, however, can cause difficulties with relaying your brand to your audience, as it will be hard to “zero in” on the message your company would like to portray if there’s too wide a range of details to sift through. Establishing a direction to pursue will be easier if your company has a clear vision of its ideal customer. Once your direction is clear, you will be on the right track to start targeting customers through your company’s branding efforts.
2. Identify Your Core Competencies
Whether there are a few competitors in your field, or even hundreds, there is a way to make your brand break away from the clutter. It all comes down to identifying what your company can do better than its competition—it’s core competencies. These core competencies are the building blocks of what makes your company’s products or services attractive and valuable to your target market. Recognizing the importance of communicating your business’ core competencies to its target market will give your company an edge over those few or many competitors in the field.
To shed some light on this topic, and to provide simple solutions for business who are interested in shaping their brand, I have provided a few branding tips:
1. Establish Your Market
It will be very difficult for your company to achieve its business objectives if there is no clear direction in which it is heading. The first step to finding your company’s “direction” is to establish your target market. Identify the type of individual you are targeting down to as much detail as you feel fit; overanalyzing your market, however, can cause difficulties with relaying your brand to your audience, as it will be hard to “zero in” on the message your company would like to portray if there’s too wide a range of details to sift through. Establishing a direction to pursue will be easier if your company has a clear vision of its ideal customer. Once your direction is clear, you will be on the right track to start targeting customers through your company’s branding efforts.
2. Identify Your Core Competencies
Whether there are a few competitors in your field, or even hundreds, there is a way to make your brand break away from the clutter. It all comes down to identifying what your company can do better than its competition—it’s core competencies. These core competencies are the building blocks of what makes your company’s products or services attractive and valuable to your target market. Recognizing the importance of communicating your business’ core competencies to its target market will give your company an edge over those few or many competitors in the field.
Chicago Graphic Design
3. Create Your Image
When branding, one of the most important things to keep in mind is the image that your company is portraying to its potential customers. Brand image is a powerful thing; it can make or break a company, regardless of how great the products and services seem to be. Ideally, companies want to get to a point when potential customers have positive brand recall and recognition; this can be achieved by having a focus on embodying the company’s core values and expertise in its field. If your company’s brand image is firmly established, you will need to put extra effort towards making it where you would ideally like it to be in the minds of consumers. If you are just starting out, it is much easier to shape your brand image, however, the challenge your company may initially face is brand recognition and recall. Whichever the case, brand image should not be something to put on the back burner!
3. Create Your Image
When branding, one of the most important things to keep in mind is the image that your company is portraying to its potential customers. Brand image is a powerful thing; it can make or break a company, regardless of how great the products and services seem to be. Ideally, companies want to get to a point when potential customers have positive brand recall and recognition; this can be achieved by having a focus on embodying the company’s core values and expertise in its field. If your company’s brand image is firmly established, you will need to put extra effort towards making it where you would ideally like it to be in the minds of consumers. If you are just starting out, it is much easier to shape your brand image, however, the challenge your company may initially face is brand recognition and recall. Whichever the case, brand image should not be something to put on the back burner!
Chicago Graphic Design
4. Engage Your Audience
Above all, a company which recognizes the importance of developing and maintaining relationships with its customers and target market knows one of the key practices in business: engaging with your audience. Perhaps one of the most overlooked practices, staying connected with potential and current customers, allows you, as a company, to have a substantial amount of control over the public’s view. It’s great that your company has Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, WordPress—and so on—but how can you get real value if you are not staying active within conversations? The options with social media are abundant and by not engaging with your potential and current customers, you are missing out on building a presence in your field. The opportunity to have virtually direct dialogue with your audience is one which can showcase your core competencies and if necessary, do damage control to correct any negative attention you may be getting. With social media, companies can not only discover their target market’s opinions towards their products and services, they can also shape those perceptions to ultimately drive business.
4. Engage Your Audience
Above all, a company which recognizes the importance of developing and maintaining relationships with its customers and target market knows one of the key practices in business: engaging with your audience. Perhaps one of the most overlooked practices, staying connected with potential and current customers, allows you, as a company, to have a substantial amount of control over the public’s view. It’s great that your company has Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, WordPress—and so on—but how can you get real value if you are not staying active within conversations? The options with social media are abundant and by not engaging with your potential and current customers, you are missing out on building a presence in your field. The opportunity to have virtually direct dialogue with your audience is one which can showcase your core competencies and if necessary, do damage control to correct any negative attention you may be getting. With social media, companies can not only discover their target market’s opinions towards their products and services, they can also shape those perceptions to ultimately drive business.
Chicago Graphic Design
What I’d like to get across to everyone reading this blog is the notion that branding should be present and apparent throughout a company’s processes, employees and customer relations. It neither deserves, nor is beneficial, for a company to have branding as merely the “icing on the cake.” By putting branding at the forefront of each and every aspect of business, companies can shape people’s perceptions and behaviors toward their products and services to strengthen customer relationships.
What I’d like to get across to everyone reading this blog is the notion that branding should be present and apparent throughout a company’s processes, employees and customer relations. It neither deserves, nor is beneficial, for a company to have branding as merely the “icing on the cake.” By putting branding at the forefront of each and every aspect of business, companies can shape people’s perceptions and behaviors toward their products and services to strengthen customer relationships.
