The power of the brand
I’m a big believer in the power of the brand. It’s part of our philosophy and underpins everything we do at Digital Digging. Your brand is like your reputation. It takes time to prove yourself and build trust and loyalty. But it is exciting, and there are things you can do to get noticed. Following these simple steps will help you on your way to building a successful brand.
1. Know your audience
Identifying your target audience and understanding what they care about is crucial. You need to know exactly who they are and where they spend their time. Undertake consumer research, build customer personas, and understand everything you can about their triggers and motivations.
2. Get your positioning right
Brand positioning is the key to your marketing strategy. Identify and define your point of difference to ascertain the correct brand identity and create an appropriate brand image. With a distinctive brand positioning, you will give consumers a clear understanding of your offer.
3. Define your identity
‘brand identity’ refers to the visual elements that represent your brand. Logo design is the cornerstone of your identity, but it is only one of the components that make up your visual identity. Consumers might also identify your brand through a particular colour palette, a recognisable graphic icon or a distinctive photographic style.
4. Project the right image
Imagery is a powerful tool that can bring your brand to life. When executed well, unique and exciting photography can make things happen. It’s important to get the right image, but if “a picture is worth a thousand words” then photography is an investment worth making.
5. Tell a great story
A great story always grabs the attention and engages people. Your brand story isn’t just what you tell people, it’s a complete picture of everything they believe about you, which means that others tell part of your story. Crafting a great brand story will enable you to stand out, increase awareness and create brand loyalty.
6. Be emotive
Getting your messaging right is so essential for successful brand marketing. We help our clients to communicate on an emotional level, because that’s where decisions are made. Consumers don’t buy what you do, they make decisions based on how you make them feel. Emotion trumps everything else, so be sure to inject some passion into your message.
7. Be authoritative
Position yourself as an authority in your chosen field. A thought leader is a recognised authority, so let people know who’s the expert and deliver your message with confidence and conviction. An authoritative brand has a distinct value proposition and stands out.
8. Consumer is king
We know it’s a cliché, but it is essential to keep your customers happy — it’s much easier than attracting new ones. Bad news travels fast, so a disappointing experience quickly becomes a bad review. Develop a consumer-centric marketing strategy. Placing the consumer at the centre of everything you do will encourage people to connect and engage with your brand.
9. Be consistent
Every aspect of your communication, from the copy written on your website to the quality of your business card and the people you hire, is building your brand story. Everything you do is a reflection of your brand values, so always maintain a consistent approach. Your consumers should receive the same brand experience when they walk through your doors as when interacting with you on social media.
10. Feel good!
When you feel good, your consumers feel good. You need to deliver a positive customer experience and ensure that everyone on your team feels good about your brand. Employee well-being will help reinforce your brand values, so start by building a culture of health and well-being in the workplace.
