5 Tips to Making Your Brand A Success 

 

A brand is the first and most important connection between you and your target audience. It is what your customers and prospects look at and experience to create a perception about your product offering and your company. 

In an intensely competitive marketplace, companies have adopted powerful brand strategies to stand out from the crowd and to be seen by the people who matter the most- the customers. But, what makes a brand successful? From Nike, Apple, Coca-Cola, to Samsung- what makes millions of people from all over the world relate so strongly to these brand names? 

Here are the five essential elements to making your brand successful: 

  • Be very clear about your unique selling point 

Think about it: all successful brands are well known for something special they offer customers that their competitors do not offer. This is known as a unique selling point— an attribute that sets you apart from the constant raging wave of competitors in your niche. 

Having something special to offer your customers allows these customers to identify with your brand in a way that they always bring business to you and not the competitors. Whether your special selling point is superior customer service, advanced technical support, transparency, or fast delivery, it should be something that your customers value. Human beings instinctively look for something different, interesting and relevant. So, your ability to offer an experience that is different, interesting and relevant will allow you to stand in stark contrast from your competitors. What do you do better than anyone else? What does your company, you or your product stand for? These are important questions to ask when formulating your unique selling point. 

  • Specialize and narrow into your target audience 

There’s always the temptation to want to sell a product to the masses. Selling to a wider audience equals greater profits,. The problem with trying to sell to everybody is the risk of dissolving your ‘specialness’ and commoditizing your product or service. In turn, customers will have no way of differentiating you from the masses of people/businesses offering a similar product. Specializing within your niche allows you to create a sense of prestige and exclusiveness that a few premium clients are willing to pay for. At the same time, narrowing your target audience facilitates the successful creation of a brand message and brand assets that speak to your ideal customer.

  • Develop a compelling brand story 

Successful brands are able to create a deep emotional connection between the consumer and the brand itself. Crafting a story for your brand is one of the most powerful ways to increase your value and relevance. Your brand’s story is the medium through which you communicate to your audience about your values and your promise. Crafting a story for your brand is, therefore, less about blatant self-promotion and more about showing your audience the benefits of your product through a fictional or non-fictional narrative. 

Brands that successfully use storytelling create a long-term narrative with each story interwoven into the next. Instead of creating a one-shot narrative, develop a long one that your audience can relate to. A longer narrative or short stories that are interwoven into each other give you an opportunity to build a long term relationship with your audience. A rule of thumb is to ensure that you are weaving and crafting a consistent story that aligns with the perceptions that your audience has about your brand. Inconsistency in brand storytelling can create an impression of untrustworthiness and in turn can cause your customers to turn to another brand that offers consistency. 

  • Expand your reach to your target audience

Is your brand the biggest kept secret? Successful brands are well known; this is why they are so popular- because they are ubiquitous. Larger companies with a larger marketing budget are better placed to reach their audiences both locally and globally. But, extensive brand exposure is no longer the domain of large brands only. Social media and other online marketing tools have made it possible for small brands to reach out to their target audiences at a much smaller budget. 

Examples of successful, yet small online brands include Smart Passive Income, and Seth Godin, just to mention a few. These brands have attained great exposure, thought leadership and trust solely through online tools including their website, social media, online outreach, and joint ventures. 

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Great brands know how to position their product and business  to  differentiate themselves from others in their niche. A thorough understanding of your target audience will allow you to develop a brand message and a narrative that resonates with your target audience.