10 Steps to Building a Brand that Stands Out
Yasmina Boubnider Kazitani MBA.
Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer @Interverse #AI & Web3 enthusiast, Gaming & Gamification expert, Marketing & partnerships
“Great brands do not ‘arrive’, they are created.”
Let me say that again: Great brands do not ‘arrive’, they are created.
Before I talk about taking your business from where it is to where you want it to be, I’d like to say something very important. Please take the following two points to heart.
Then I’ll get back to talking about making your business memorable and competitive.
1. The most important part of your business is not under your control -— it’s the customer’s perception of your goods and services. How you are perceived is not under your control, but it is very much within your power to control. This is the single most important thing you need to understand if you want your business to grow.
2. Your business is not your business — it’s your customer’s business. Your building, your designing, your manufacturing, your marketing, your selling — all of it — is done for one reason, and one reason only: to serve your customer. And no matter how hard you work to build your business, it will fail if it does not serve your customer.
“Now that I have your undivided attention ……”
It’s the customer’s perception that is the starting point for all great brands. And here’s why: If you go back in time, you quickly find that every single brand is a perception.
To illustrate what I mean, here are a few questions.
1. What is eBay?
2. What is American Express?
3. What is Starbucks?
Before you answer those questions, I’ll tell you what I think.
1. eBay is a perception of safety, security, and an efficient way for people to transact business anywhere in the world.
2. American Express is a perception of convenience, rock-solid security, and a great way to pay for things.
3. Starbucks is a perception of great coffee, cosy store environments, and a welcoming place that invites you to slow down, relax, and enjoy yourself.
Those are the perceptions that great brands begin with.
Next you must take steps to establish the perceptions that you want. I call this creating a brand that stands out.