WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Branding is not just a logo or even a slogan. So what is a brand? How do you develop one? How do you keep it?
A Brand is what is recognised, the thing that gives a sense of knowing a business or product. Your brand will have a personality much like a person or even your dog! Your brand tells people what you stand for, your values; it is reflected in your price, your behaviour and through the geographical roots or positioning of your business or product.
Let's break it down into the various components so you can truly brand your business or product.
Values
Standing for something specific helps your company distinguish itself from the competition. It can be communicated in many ways - Slogans, advertising symbols, signage or a regular newsletter.
Personality
If your business were a movie character - who would you be? What sort of fruit is your product? Is the personality of your business or product - sincere and friendly, adventurous or artistic, strong or silent, or brash and even slightly annoying? It can be not only confronting but also very revealing to think about your business or product in this way.
Behaviour
How do you act towards your customers, answer the phone, greet your shoppers, resolve problems?
Price
Make sure your pricing fits the other components of your image. If you are a down to earth, grass roots community based business don't have fancy flashy stationary, equally if you are located in the top business district of town make sure your promotional material reflects that. Consistency for your business or product is the key.
Range
Your customers need to understand the full spectrum of products and services you offer. Quite often a potential customer will go elsewhere simply because they did not know you could help them. Verbally tell your customers, use printed material or reinforce it through regular newsletters.
Geographical Roots
Where did your company come from? Are you an old family business, perhaps you can use this to help create your image. Does your product come from a picturesque region? Can these factors help with your visual image?
Longevity
Have you been around for a long time, or are you the new kid on the block. Either way this can be used to your advantage. Celebrate business or product anniversaries, or push the new fresh positive status of your business.
Slogan
If it is good, people will remember it for a long time, perhaps even when a company may have moved onto a new one. It is advisable however to use a slogan for quite some years to get mileage out of it. Radio and TV are great for conveying your slogan with a catchy jingle, but reinforcement is they key. And don't forget to keep it short!
Benefits
What will buyers, your valued customers get from dealing with you. It may be intangible or tangible, emotional or practical - A mix of both is best. So a food outlet may want the customer to feel warm and relaxed, but leave raving about the delicious meal they have eaten. A jeans retailer may want the customer to wear their jeans and get a sense of feeling comfortable but also know they look stylish.
Whatever you want to convey Promotional Products can help you do it.
We look forward to working with you again soon.
Source: Marcia Yudkin-Named At Last, which affordably brainstorms creative product names and tag lines for organisations all over the world.
