The Four Letters that Create Irrational Desire for Your Brand
The Jen Kem
Innovative brands, experts, & thought leaders come to me to launch their next BIG ideas w/ speed and success | Master Brand Consultant & Go to Market Strategist I Penguin/Hay House Author of Unicorn Team
Building a brand is part art, part science - and 100% about the people. It is the people who determine if a brand is worthy investing their time, energy and money in - and so having a proper strategy on how you approach building yours should not be an afterthought.
As someone who has made it my life's work understanding what a brand really is, and being the strategizer behind some of the most fascinating and successful brand launches, this is the best definition I've used to explain what a successful brand accomplishes:
"Creates irrational desire for what you offer, by understanding the behavioral desires, instincts and fears of the people who want them, specifically when it comes to commerce."
To create this irrational desire, you must know the four core letters that comprise a brand that does this well, and they can be summed up in the acronym:
T . I . M . E .
T = TEAM
Successful brands are rarely (read: never) self-made. They are led by real people, usually a founder who had a big vision who rallied strategizers and mobilizers to innovate, collaborate and launch their offers to market (I call these folks "unicorns"). But the team doesn't stop at the internal staff. Creating irrational desire requires brands to speak directly to their external team - their earned audience, their influencer partnerships and their ambassadors, usually customers who love their products so much, they tell others naturally. When this happens, something I call "unicorn magic" happens - where the equity of the brand is elevated to an untouchable status that makes them "the one everyone wants".
Key takeaway: building a successful brand TEAM is an internal and external game.
I = IDENTITY
Creating irrational desire means that your brand identity needs to be one that your dream customer wants to become part of their identity too. Successful brands don't just state their core values - they LIVE their core values. They use their values to filter their decisions around new product development, how they create their company culture, and how they wow their audience with not just aesthetics (their web site, social media and other marketing assets), but with their entire vibe. Basically, great brands help their audience feel like they belong. Brands help people feel purposed. Which is what identity is all about.
Key takeaway: brand IDENTITY is about being a part of something that makes your audience feel like they are right about choosing you.
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M = MESSAGING
The most successful brands aren't just masters of marketing; moreoever, they are masters of messaging. They tell stories that make their audience see themselves inside of their brand story - using a mix of authority and approachability narratives to influence and inspire everyone their marketing targets. My friend Sally Hogshead, bestselling author of Fascinate: How to Make Your Brand Impossible to Resist says: "Different is better than better." Not only do I wholeheartedly concur with her, in my 20 years of research, testing and actually bringing new ideas to market, there are 6 specific messaging points you need to make your brand different from anyone else: 1) your brand archetype influence mix (brand voice), 2) your values, 3) your stories, 4) your unique solution, 5) your irresistible offer and 6) your rich niche.
Key takeaway: brand MESSAGING is about being unique, and your marketing has no power unless you have your messaging dialed in.
E = EXPERIENCES
We live in a world where content is no longer king. In fact, unless you've dialed in your messaging (see above) - content is commodity and people are being pummeled with listicles and how-tos, which now make your brand look like everyone else. Successful brands understand that consistent content does matter, but if you want to stand out, you need an IRL (in-real-life) and community strategy as well. Sure, the digital world gives you more reach and access, but the brands that are going to bode well in the future understand that humans need other humans, and that the more we digitize our brands, the less human they feel. The best way to do this is to bring your people together, creating experiences that cement brand loyalty and make your audience love you even more. In-person events, new product demonstrations, and exclusive first dibs for your audience are great ways to increase ROI on all of your marketing efforts.
Key takeaway: brand EXPERIENCES set you apart by creating the spaces to connect and cultivate long-lasting loyalty with your audience.
SUMMARY
Strategize your brand goals around Brand T.I.M.E. and watch the ROI on all of your marketing efforts increase, and also make you the brand people want to work for and be a part of too.
In my next few articles, I'll show you the actual frameworks under Brand T.I.M.E. and how to use them inside of your brand strategy efforts.
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