Once you’ve targeted your core customer base, you can focus on creating a statement of what your business truly stands for, a brand identity that your customers can relate to. Your new identity will help them understand, trust and become loyal to your business. This will bring you a much higher level of success in return.
Brand is one of the most popular buzzwords in business. But what is this? The brand is basically to generate trust in the consumer. It is to offer an expected product or service and build customer loyalty. Research shows that customers will be loyal to a brand. But the brand does not only apply to a product. A customer can be loyal to any company with a reputation for quality work and good customer service.
Branding implants the ideas of your business in the consumer’s head and allows them to understand your business. Then you need to follow up by focusing on high-quality leads, measuring the value of your customers, and constantly using the data you have available to fine-tune your growth strategy.
People trust brands
The specialized brand generates trust in people. They like to know what to expect, that it will be the same. Customers want to believe in a brand and the company behind a brand. A brand shows a customer that the company has roots, even if those roots are not very deep. Therefore, building a brand identity to target your market is crucial no matter the size of your business or how long it has been around.
Humans think visually. A picture is worth a million words. A strong and simple logo or icon can quickly connect you with your customers. Companies like Nike and Apple Computers use a simple icon that is easily recognized and associated with the corporation. When you see a sign with a red circle and a dot, you’ll immediately think of Target. Their logo and brand recognition is so strong that they don’t even have to mention the name. You can remove the word Tiffany from your blue package and everyone still knows it’s Tiffany, which also means quality and elegance. For any of these brands, every time customers see the logo, whether they’re thinking of jewelry, shoes, computers at the time or not, the business is planted in their mind over and over again. The next time you consciously think of shoes, you’ll automatically think of Nike too.
You can also create a brand for your business, and you do this with brand communication. Brand communication is about using your brand on everything that supports your product or service. You establish brand identity through all aspects of your business: advertising, signage, marketing, a strong logo, consistent colors, point of sale, packaging, and overall image. anything that your entire product or service.
You don’t have to be a big chain to become a brand. Yes, it helps if you are known across the country, but your brand can be known locally. A smaller business owner may not be able to provide all the services that their larger competitors can, but they can provide consistent and good service and quality products. Through a brand you can deliver a consistent message in your advertising and marketing that will connect with customers through an emotional bond. The emotions aroused will make customers understand and trust your business.
This is especially true of a small retail store that I consulted with. This store owner was ready to give up and close her doors forever before we began to reevaluate her options and opportunities. She had been in the leather clothing business in Arizona for several years. Most of the years, her business never turned a profit, but she stood her ground. Then, as competition grew, her sales began to plummet, making it seem impossible to change her business.
However, the opportunity was waiting just around the corner. Another clothing retail store owner was moving her western clothing business to another part of town. This opened a 1,200 square foot store with a more visible location and integrated customer base. I urged the owner of the leather clothing store to relocate and retake the lines of western clothing that the previous merchant had. She did this, and in a matter of months she began to turn her business around. Customers who had previously shopped at the Western clothing store were flocking in and she had a new customer base along with her existing customer list. And that was just the beginning. What made her business grow threefold was her strong focus on her new customer base, quality service, and specialized inventory. When she began to see her clothing business slow down, she focused more on belts, bags, shoes, and leather accessories, all from the same company. This has marked her business and has turned it into a successful specialty store.
Seven questions to answer to develop your brand
The key to creating a strong icon or logo is to paint pictures of words. Then compare the word or visual images to your description of your business and what sets you apart from the rest of the business world. Think unique, think independently, get out of your marketing mindset and get creative.
or What is my business?
o What are my products and/or services?
o How is my special business?
o How is it different from the competition?
o How can I demonstrate that it is the best place to do business?
o How can I retain customers better than the competition?
o What symbol, icon or logo visually describes my business?
Words with Images
In my consulting, I’ve found that many business owners assume that customers know what they’re all about. That is a ridiculous way of thinking. How can a customer know an iota of what you know about your business? It’s your job to educate them both visually (with a logo) and verbally; with a short message (less than 25 words) that best describes your business and its benefits. You need to give potential customers a reason to come into your business. A short statement like “We sell unique gifts” or “Women’s fashion” or “Pool and patio accessories for your home” informs but does not motivate action. Your eulogy or tagline and visual logo should stand out and capture their emotions. A brand slogan like “Gifts that transform your home into a palace” or “Stylish contemporary fashions that turn heads” or “Creating an environment for your outdoor lifestyle” says more about the uniqueness of your business and why why a prospect should go there. .
From a specialty store to a global superstore
What began as a simple 800-square-foot used bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI, in 1971 is now Borders Group, with more than 2,000 book and music hypermarkets, 900 Walden bookstores and an international presence. When Borders opened its first international superstore, it wanted to start off on the right foot in an extremely competitive market by establishing a strong brand identity. They created a new logo, a stylized globe made of swirling lines that suggested both global presence and speed of movement. The logo or brand identity was aimed at the retailer’s primary audience: active professionals, families, seniors, and teens.
Many large corporations started as a small store. Starbucks was a small coffee shop in Pike’s Market, a popular tourist attraction in Seattle. With a unique concept in marketing, they brought coffee as we knew it (buying Folgers at the grocery store) to locations across the country with a plethora of delicious offerings. His concept was so effective that it made coffee as popular as McDonald’s hamburgers.
Sam Walton, the founder of WalMart, started with a department store in a small town and the business grew to an incredible size. And as if WalMart wasn’t big enough, he created WalMart Superstores, giving customers no reason to shop anywhere else. They did this by focusing on lower prices, lower prices… pushing prices back. This is what they are known for, and they did it so effectively that they got ahead of the existing competition at discount stores.
No matter how big or small, “brand” your uniqueness and you’ll get ahead of your competition. Never lose sight of your uniqueness. Build on it and refocus it. It’s what will keep your business strong and light years ahead of your competition.
