Do you prefer Apple or Samsung? Do you say you’re using Kleenex or tissue? Strong brand awareness can embed itself into consumer lifestyles and purchase habits so that, eventually, you don’t even think about being a customer – you just get what you like.
Good branding, similar to the likes of Apple and Kleenex, can help you grow your audience, differentiate you from the competition, and expand your presence in the market. Here at GKA, a creative agency based in Rockville and Tampa, we specialize in helping businesses establish themselves so that they can build solid campaigns that support continual growth.
Let’s dive into how you can build your brand and expand your brand presence.
Tip 1: Build a strong foundation
Every brand has six guiding principles:
- Positioning Statement
- Mission Statement
- Core Values
- Brand Pillars
- Audience
- Voice/Personality
Chances are that if you have ever launched a brand, you have thought about these. However, to make sure your message is heard and understood, these elements must be clearly defined and in alignment with each other. Refining these elements can help ensure you are on firm footing to build and scale your brand with purpose and intention.
Tip 2: Develop your brand identity
After you determine the heart of your brand and understand your direction, you’ll want to create a distinct “face” for your business. Brand identity consists of the visual elements of a brand, such as the colors, design elements, and logo that identify and distinguish the brand in consumers’ minds. The visual identity of your brand is crucial because they help your audience identify with you and react instinctively to their first impression of you. The right logo, typography, and colors will resonate with your audience and can be based on actual science!
Tip 3: Align your brand identity with your website
If you take the time to create a brand identity that speaks to your audience, the next step is to make full use of your visual identity. For example, now that you have a shining new persona, you should use it on your website, social media, and collateral. Make sure your profiles are updated with the same logo, your imagery is accurate, and your verbiage speaks with your brand voice. You can extend that consistent identity across your email and other forms of communication.
Tip 4: Create a digital media strategy that aligns with your brand
The most complex part of developing your brand presence is creating a comprehensive marketing plan that includes a digital media strategy. While many use these terms interchangeably, marketing plans, marketing tactics, and digital marketing are all different.
A marketing plan is the overarching outline of how you will accomplish your goals. It likely has several arms, and might encompass many different strategies.
Marketing tactics are the small-step “hows” you use to accomplish your strategy. For example, if your marketing plan called to build an interest list of 150 people for a new product launch, a tactic might be to distribute an email that includes a compelling offer and a button for them to join a VIP list.
A digital media strategy is a part of your overall marketing plan that employs online tactics to accomplish goals.
If you’re interested in driving organic growth, one tactic might be to focus on creating original content that connects with your audience’s interests. People seek out thought leaders, so having a regular blog that is insightful, well-researched, and timely can help your audience naturally gravitate to you.
Tip 5: Check the metrics and refine
To ensure you are on the right path, you should have trackable metrics in place through Google Analytics, Bing, or another relevant data platform. Once you obtain feedback in terms of organic traffic and user experience, you can use data to refine your marketing strategy.
To further develop your brand, Maryland Women’s Business Center offers expert guidance to women-owned businesses through education, peer support, and counseling. At GKA, we also look forward to assisting you in launching and developing your brand presence.