At this stage in my life, I desire I’ve spent longer operating with brands on positioning than simply concerning the rest. regardless of the business, effectively distinguishing wherever your complete ought to be positioned within the marketplace is that the beginning to true promoting success. for several marketers, though, this will be a very troublesome task.
It’s okay, I want to make this as easy on you as possible. That’s why I’ve broken your brand positioning statement down into three simple questions and a proofreading process.
1/ Be clear on what your business stands for. What’s your promise is. Knowing this will not only help you put out consistent messages and attract the right customers, it will also help you hire the right people and develop products and services that are aligned with your promise. a must if you want to build a brand.
2/ Make sure all of your marketing materials- website, photos, flyers- have the same look and feel.
3/ A good Corporate Identity should communicate the purpose of your business, the values that the brand represents, it should engage your target market, be simple and memorable.
4/ Be careful about launching new brand names every time you come with a new idea for a product or service. The more brands you have the harder you have to work to raise awareness of each one. Having a masterbrand that tells your overall story and sub-brands that relate to the masterbrand will make sure that you build awareness more easily and keep your marketing costs down. If you’ve already got a stable of different brands consider working with a marketing expert to help you unify your brands.
5/ Ideally your name should describe your business, define the unique customer benefits, and reflect your business personality. If not, consider adopting a tagline (Nike doesn’t mean anything but Just do It – sums up their philosophy and appeals to action oriented, active, competitive consumers. a tagline can speak volumes about who you are, what you stand for and the reason why your customer needs you. “you’re worth it”, “The burgers are better” “Just do it” are just a few of the more well known ones!
6/ Packaging is a key part of the marketing mix. It’s the trigger which can attract and persuade a customer to buy your product. Is your packaging visually striking through design, colour or shape and communicating your brand ideals? If not it might be time for a revamp.
7/ Use templates and create brand standards for your marketing materials. apply the same color scheme, logo placement, look and feel throughout. you don’t need to be fancy- just consistent!
8/ People love a good story. Craft your own around why you started your business and then tell it through your website, social networking pages and blogs or even write your own book. let your story and personality shine through – it’s another way to build trust and appeal to customers.
9/ If you are starting out, work on your personal brand to get that first contract/client over the line. your appearance is an important part of marketing yourself. a tough issue to tackle but if you think you could look a little sharper – think about getting an independent opinion from an image consultant. If you feel drab, then you’re probably creating that impression with your prospect.
10/ Fake it til you make it! an important skill of any small business is to be able to look bigger than you are. The easiest way to do this is by having polished marketing material, always being professional and although your business may be small, still thinking big!
11/ Use benefits and emotional language to engage your target market in your key messages. A masseuse doesn’t have a “massage” in her brochure, but a “Massage recharge – ease away the tension of a long day. Indulge in an invigorating treatment that loosens muscles & relieves fatigue”. be proud of what you offer, dress it up and sell not just a product, but an experience that appeals to your target market.
12/ How you treat staff is just as important as how you treat customers when it comes to building a reputation. What would previous employees say about your business. ex-staff are also an opportunity for leads and new business.
13/ Your staff are one of your most important marketing tools. Make sure their communication with customers conveys your brand message and represents your values. reward them not only for closing sales, but for being great ambassadors for your business.
