“Can you get these Xeroxed?”
“Oh, you are wounded. Let me get you a Band-aid.”
“Hungry? Maggi?”
“Google it.”
How often have you heard or even used these sentences in your everyday life?
The chances are quite often. But have you ever stopped to think that what you wanted to say was:
“Can you get these photocopied?”
“Oh, you are wounded. Let me get you a bandage.”
“Hungry? Instant noodles?”
“Search it on the internet.”
Along with sounding strange, the latter sentences perhaps also feel vague and impersonal. This is the sort of subtle but long-lasting impact powerful branding can have on human psyches.
Branding is indispensable if you want to form long-lasting connections with your audience. The right branding can leave an indelible impression whereas the opposite can relegate you into the dark abyss of similar and unremarkable brands that people will forget the very next moment. But to truly stand apart from the rest, what you project must be deeply rooted in what you have accumulated – your experience, your people, and above all, your convictions.
But I am a small player. Why should I spend on branding?
A majority of today’s brands started small. We all know Apple started in a garage, Coca-cola in a chemist’s shop, and Google was a research project. And without putting themselves out into the world, they would’ve likely remained there.
Let’s look at how well-thought-through branding can turn the tables for your business, shall we?
Win it in a minute
In today’s world, there is very little that a consumer doesn’t know or cannot find out about a product or service. With too much information and too little time, you only have a minute to capture their attention. And that minute is a ‘make-or-break’ for your business.
Flowery language, lengthy pitches, and false promises no longer cut it. You need to say it fast and you need to say it now.
Inform your audience that you have the solution to their problems
Even with all the competing brands in your industry, there is always a gap that needs to be filled. Trends change and not everyone can keep up with them.
For example, 5 years back, being eco-friendly was considered a fad, and people looking to imbibe it were regarded as showing off. But recent global events and deeper awareness have resulted in most of the current generation wanting sustainable options for everyday products. With traditional brands struggling to bridge this gap in the market, consumers were forced to look elsewhere.
Your brand must do all the talking and do it well for your audience to know that you are what they are looking for.
Hook your customers and don’t let them leave
Branding is a psychological play and good brands invoke the intended emotions from their customers.
When Xerox started manufacturing photocopy machines, photocopying was considered cumbersome and required technical know-how. By broadcasting an advertisement wherein a monkey handled their machine effortlessly, Xerox could portray their brand as simple and easy to use, tapping into the market of ordinary, everyday people.
Similarly, there is nothing extraordinary about instant noodles. But by pitching it as a hot meal you can effortlessly cook for your hungry children returning from school, or share among roommates in a hostel, Maggi transformed itself into a people’s product. It is the main reason it consistently ranks among the top comfort foods in our country even today.
Emotions are a strong driver for engagement and your brand must capitalize on them.
The 4 pillars of effective branding
By now it is amply clear how powerful effective branding is for your business. But as mentioned earlier, it requires thought and a robust strategy to be effective.
On the surface, branding consists of 4 distinct but coherent elements:
What are they and why are they important? Let’s take a deeper look.
Brand Purpose
Brand Purpose should answer 3 key questions of the company
- ‘What’ product/service are they offering?
- ‘Who’ are they offering it to?
- ‘Why’ are they offering this particular product/service?
The inspiration for your brand’s purpose could be many things, such as the founders’ experiences, the necessity to fill a gap in the market or to introduce something fresh and disrupt the sector. It can also be politically, ethically or morally driven, encouraging consumers to make purchases that align with their ideals and way of life.
Defining a Brand Purpose is important because it not only guides your company’s visions and missions but also lays the foundation of your workplace culture and business decisions. A poorly-defined purpose could prove detrimental to your company’s direction, eventually leading to a downward spiral.
Brand Identity
Brand Identity is the visible feature that can help consumers identify the brand. This encompasses not only the logo, website, or packaging, but also your brand’s tone and communication.
Your brand’s purpose must play a huge role in determining your identity; the ultimate goal is to get your customers to associate your brand identity with your product or service.
The first step to developing a sound brand identity is to nail the design that can help distinguish you from your competitors while conveying the intended message. The building blocks include but are not limited to
- Name – What’s in a name? A lot when it comes to branding. Spending time to come up with a unique name is well worth the effort. Even better when it is backed by an interesting story and a tagline to complement the name.
- Typography – The fonts used across all your branding and communication materials. Different font types elucidate different emotions and reactions from viewers and your target audiences. Hence, choosing fonts that gel with the overall vibe of your sector and brand is crucial.
- Colours – Along with the aesthetic appeal, colours can affect your customers psychologically and can be a powerful tool to get your messages across.
- Shapes and forms – Like typography and colours, shapes have an unconscious effect on your customer’s minds and can be leveraged to coerce the desired reactions.
- Logo – Your logo is your brand in an image format. Need we say more?
- Tone – The sort of language you want to use in your communications. This would primarily depend on the audience you want to appeal to, the channels you use, and the type of message you want to convey.
Keeping your communications consistent with your identity can help your brand to be perceived positively and increase customer loyalty.
Brand Positioning
Ever wondered why we prefer one brand over the other? Some prefer Pepsi while others swear by Coca-Cola. Some enjoy Spotify, others groove to Apple music. Some think the pizzas at Pizza Hut are superior, others favour Domino’s.
You would think it was the taste, price, or availability. But it is, in fact, their Brand Positioning.
As the name suggests, brand positioning is the process of effectively placing your brand in your customers’ minds, successfully grabbing their attention and compelling them to choose your offerings over a competitor’s. An effective brand positioning strategy can help you gain customer loyalty and carve a niche in the market. If the customer perceives your brand to be unique and aligned with their values, they will return to buy your products or services. It is a surefire way of growing your brand and market share.
Brand Recall
What’s the first thing you remember when you see the following words?
Sportswear
Burgers
Mobile Phone
Did you picture a particular name or logo?
That’s brand recall.
Brand Recall is when a customer instantly remembers your brand when prompted with a product or service. The importance of such a recall cannot be understated as it not only increases sales and customer retention but also aids in spreading your brand through word-of-mouth, one of the most powerful marketing tools throughout history.
Being at the top of your customers’ minds means you are doing it right. Isn’t it?
A strong brand can make all the difference when competing in today’s cutthroat market, but building a brand, just like a relationship, is a labour of love and must be treated the same way – with patience, diligence, and consistent correction.
Your brand story is just waiting to be told. And, we’re here to help say it just how you want to. Get in touch today at contactus@wytefyre.com.