Four ways to make your brand live and breathe
If you understand four fundamental things about your business, you can use them to bring your brand to life.
That’s why big brands are instantly recognisable. They know:
- Why they exist
- Who they are
- How they do things
- What they do
We talked about this in our last blog which might be worth a fresh look before you read on.
So, what are the four ways you can bring your brand to life?
- Make sure everyone you work with understands your brand.
People associated with your business in any way need to know what’s what. By this we mean existing staff, potential employees, suppliers, partners, sub-contractors and, obviously, your customers.
So, it’s useful to have a set of brand guidelines which capture all the essential ingredients that make up your business DNA. Your marketing people and graphic designers can then harness the power of your brand. This is how everything stays ‘on message’.
Another thing you can do is to have a potted version of your guidelines at everyone’s fingertips within your organisation. Maybe a staff handbook or a set of postcards? Why not print your four fundamentals on mouse-mats or use them as wallpaper on staff computers? Get as creative as you like here.
- Make sure people can see, hear, and feel your brand.
Talking of creativity, think of ways you can really make your brand pop with posters, videos, and tangible things such as t-shirts, mugs, furniture, pens; basically, anything people can touch.
An image and key message on the back of the loo doors, photos of your people in action in the stairways. All these things are worth considering.
Make a video of customer testimonials that you can run on screens around your buildings and feature them on your website.
And don’t forget to feed your social media channels into the general mix. Tell your brand story at every opportunity.
- Be generous with your knowledge and expertise.
Years ago, it was unheard of to share information in business without it costing money. Everything was fiercely protected or carried a premium. But, these days, successful brands are all about being a force for social good. This means educating, mentoring, partnering, and showing heaps of benevolence.
So, share your knowledge freely. You can develop ‘how to’ guides for your customers, write blogs (just like we do) with handy hints and tips. Always have a helpline that is easy to find. You can also offer free webinars, podcasts, online chat rooms. You name it, it all helps to bring your brand alive.
- Keep the conversation going.
If you make your brand human, people will start to trust your brand more. And you can do this by interacting every way you can. Invite feedback, set up focus groups, ask people to rate your services. There are a million and one ways you can connect.
If you make food, ask people to taste it and tell you what they think. If they like it, they will tell a friend. If they don’t, then maybe you need to change your offer.
Social media has made it really easy to be part of the conversation. Ignore it at your peril! But every conversation must count. Don’t just create noise. Make sure people connect and stay connected.
We call all these interactions ‘moments of truth’. If you have the right conversations, your business will prosper, we promise. Your brand won’t just grow, it will glow.
Here are three useful links which we think are worth checking out:
5 Digital Branding Strategies for Small Businesses to Stand Out Online (linkedin.com)
Trends Shaping Brand Marketing Strategies In 2023 By Linchpin SEO
The Trends That Will Shape Brand Experiences in 2023 – Advertising Week
Hope Creative is here for you
We offer interactive Brand Doctor workshops designed to meet the needs of any business.
Call us or email us now and we’ll talk you through how can help.
