In today’s competitive world of brands, establishing your brand identity is increasingly becoming more imperative. Moreover, digital marketing tactics that worked two years ago are now less effective as smart consumers recognise them easily.
So how do you shape a memorable brand identity that tells consumers what you stand for and what you sell while repelling competitors and the barrage of marketing messages that consumers face daily?
Here are five proven tips for building a strong brand identity that works in the new age of advertising:
Research
Firstly, creating a brand identity involves carrying out market research to discover what will work best for your business. There are things you need to clarify and understand when doing your research.
Your Audience – It’s no secret that different people want different things. Finding the secret to what your audience wants from a business in your industry is vital in creating a brand people will love.
Value Proposition – What makes your business unique in your industry? What can you offer your consumers that others can’t? These questions set the tone for you to project your brand in a unique way that sets you apart from other brands doing something similar to what you do.
Competitor Analysis – If you want to stand out from the rest of the world, you have to know who surrounds you. A good start is looking at your closest competitors. Keeping an eye on them will educate you on what branding techniques work well and those that don’t.
This sets the tone for you to project your brand on similar platforms but in a unique way that sets you apart from other brands doing something similar to what you do.
Visuals
Developing a memorable brand identity also involves you tapping on visual branding elements like your logo, tagline, color palette, typography, iconography, layout design and imagery.
Your visual look and feel is a big part of your brand identity, so making sure it both defines you correctly and provides a distinct look in your market is vital for success. Questions you should ask are: Could a typical potential customer identify your brand at a glance? Would your brand stand out from your competitors if your content was placed side-by-side?
Connection
What do brands like Apple, Nike or Coca Cola have in common? They sell a compelling “story” that connects their products to their target consumers.
Essentially, consumers want to feel connected. They want to feel as if they’re part of a community, of something bigger than themselves. An easy way to make your brand story stand out is to talk about your vision and core values.
To do that, you need to be honest with your audience and show them that you are genuinely passionate about something. This will enhance your brand’s character and distinguish your brand from other brands out there. After all, people love supporting brands that are committed to them. So, incorporating your core values into your brand is absolutely essential.
Trends
Trends are observations of recurring themes that dictate the general direction that brands are heading towards. By analysing history, what successful trends brands use to enhance their image, and the evolution of brands, we can pinpoint what trends are upcoming, thus creating a foresight into audience perception and buying needs.
Monitoring
It’s hard to know what you’re doing right at the moment and what you’re not, without tracking key performance metrics.
Using a search engine tool like Google Analytics, monitoring social media discussions and comments as well as carrying out market surveys to monitor your brand and get a sense of how your audience talks about and communicates with you. This also helps to implement changes to your brand if things are not going well.
Brand positioning today requires a different approach. Not only must your brand identity relate to your target audience on various levels, but your brand must also find ways to differentiate with solid brand-building processes.
Looking to make an impression with your brand? Why not have a chat with us so that we can map out a tailored solution just for you!
After all, a recognisable and loved brand is one that rules the market!
