Creating the Ideal Brand Marketing Strategy

When you think about branding, marketing, and brand marketing, it’s easy to get confused. All those terms sound somewhat similar or downright interchangeable. We can clarify what each of these terms means, and what’s involved in creating the ideal brand marketing strategy for your business.?

First, let’s clarify the overlap between these terms, so that you’ll understand how to proceed.?

Your Brand, Defined

Your brand is who you are as a business. It’s your company’s identity, largely based on personality and values. It should serve as a filter in nearly every decision that you make regarding the company. Your brand is present in your marketing materials, customer service, and even how your office is set up. It’s there when your audience, customers, or employees interact with your company. It’s how you want people to feel when they think of your business.?

Branding is typically an ongoing process that evolves as your business evolves.?

Your Marketing, Defined

Marketing. broadly defined, is simply the communication promoting the sales of products or services. This can occur through different channels, and should strengthen customer relations. Like branding, marketing is ongoing, and may evolve with new tools and channels emerging. Different tactics and campaigns can be used to target different segments of your audience. But all should still be used with the core values and brand identity in mind.?

What Is Brand Marketing Anyway??

Well, we have a convergence of terms here. Brand marketing focuses on marketing a product or service with a focus on brand. It’s also ongoing and never completed. Here are a few points to consider:?

• You are communicating the essence of your company. That’s a long-term strategy, not a short-term initiative.?
• It’s more than just one channel or two. Brand marketing might involve local initiatives or regional or national campaigns. It’s a focus on getting the word out about your company and who you are.??
• It takes time to see results. Your customers will need to get to know you via the marketing you put out. It may take months or even years for your audience to gain the true essence of who you are.?
• While you’re looking to have your audience get to know you and vice versa, the goal of brand marketing is still to grow your business. This is no different than any other type of marketing campaign this way.?

Developing the Ideal Brand Marketing Strategy

Your brand marketing strategy is designed to create a positive perception of your business. There can be a variety of tactics and channels used to get to this point. Let’s take a look at what’s involved in developing the ideal brand marketing strategy.?

Build your social channels – A strong social media presence is a great way to help your audience get to know your business and strengthen relationships. It’s time to take a good look at the channels where they are hanging out and develop a stronger presence.?

Improve your storytelling –Your audience loves a good story. Your blog articles, website content, social media, and emails should all indulge this. Tell them how you started as a company, and show them how your products and services have helped customers just like them.?

Audience involvement – Whatever channel you’re marketing on, or whatever event you have going, it’s time to involve your audience. Invite them to interact with your business. You’ll quickly learn what’s working and what’s not.?

Explore video and photography – Done right, video and photography are more intimate forms of communication that allow your audience a true behind the scenes look into your business. Make sure what you publish is high quality, though.?

Email is essential – Email is a golden opportunity to regularly communicate with your audience in a way that showcases your brand voice, and gets at the essence of who you are as a company. When your audience likes you and identifies with you, they’re more likely to do business with you.?

Don’t neglect local initiatives – When it comes to brand marketing, local image can be extremely important. Local charity events, community events, and sponsorships can be a way to increase your visibility in the community.?

Encourage loyalty – Loyalty is an admirable trait in friendships and relationships of all types, and that includes business. You can give your customers an incentive for getting to know you, and doing business with you.?

Get Creative – It’s important to remember that creativity is one of the only limits on your brand marketing strategies. As you develop a stronger sense for who you are as a company, it’s important to communicate that in creative ways.?

Measure and track – Website and social media activity is all highly trackable. The same goes for emails. You can easily tell what brand marketing initiatives had the highest payoffs using the proper analytics and allow that information to guide future decisions.??

Need Help With Your Brand Marketing Strategy?

Brand marketing is essential for getting the word out about your business. It’s what allows your audience to feel more comfortable doing business with you. If you’d like some assistance in developing your brand marketing strategy, contact us or give us a call at (630) 553-0000!??

About the Author:

Visionfriendly.com

VisionFriendly.com is a Chicago digital marketing agency with over 25 years of experience helping clients nationwide. We have an in-house team of marketers and creatives ready to improve your business’s marketing operations.