Amazon Chairman, CEO, and President Jeff Bezos once said, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” If anybody understands the power of branding, it’s Jeff!
Last night’s Marketing Monday event focused on branding. Senior Designer Chris Valencia and Creative Director John Edwards shared their favorite styles, tools, and tips for getting your business’s design just right—a key element in building your brand.
Their joint presentation covered the evolution of design trends over the years. Back then, “corporate identity” consisted of a logo and a business card – and maybe a pen if you were lucky! Nowadays, brand identity is a lot more visual and verbal. A business card alone will no longer cut it; you’ll need to consider factors such as internal and external brand expression, tone of voice, manifesto, mission statement, typeface, photography, logo, signage, advertising and direct marketing, website, social media presence, and printed materials. Branding requires a lot more effort in today’s digital age!
Chris and John emphasized that the most valuable commodity in marketing isn’t reach or media-spend; it’s attention. You can spend a fortune on media, but that’s no guarantee the audience will pay attention. The truth is, only 16 percent of advertising is remembered and attributed to the correct brand. The more messages an ad attempts to communicate, the lower the likelihood that any single one will resonate. Try focusing on emotional campaigns, which are twice as effective as rational ones.
What Successful Brands Do to Make Themselves Successful
In order to achieve success, there are certain strategies brands utilize that help set them apart from the competition. John and Chris suggest emulating these companies by being:
- Remarkable. Make a value promise that gets consumers talking—deliver on that promise! You’ll win over customers and build brand loyalty. Don’t be afraid to elicit both praise and criticism from customers. The fact that they care enough to give you feedback is proof they are invested in your brand.
- Purposeful. Articulate a clear vision or noble cause that goes above and beyond the product or service you provide and enroll your audience in an ever-unfolding story. Successful companies ensure both customers and employees know why they do what they do!
- Inspirational. Hire candidates whose attitude best aligns with your brand personality. Indoctrinate staff through strong interpersonal communications and empower them to self-police. Be sure to reward brand-allied behavior!
- Relatable. Emphasize brand values and personality at every key touch point. This helps consumers think of your brand as somebody they know. You’ll improve relatability by behaving in human ways. Admit your faults and “own” your mistakes – nobody is perfect!
- Involved. Obtain feedback from customers early and often. This gives them a sense of ownership and control over the brand. Surveys and online reviews are excellent tools that allow you to engage with your audience. Celebrate innovations inspired by the brand!
Turning Theory Into Practice
High-level branding and marketing theory is great, but how do you apply it to your business? The EGM design team suggests asking yourself the following questions:
- Is my core message clear and simple?
- Is my Call To Action clear and simple?
- Is my logo/brand ID bold? Does it demand attention?
- Does this have enough emotional resonance?
- Do I tell my story or list my values/mission on my website or social media pages? Is that where my portfolio and e-commerce are?
If so, let Google do its job and get the customer to recall your name!
If you haven’t attended an EGM Marketing Monday yet, be on the lookout for future events. We cover a wide range of topics designed to provide you with insight that will help you face various marketing challenges. Sessions are $5 and open to the general public. They’re one hour and we provide snacks and beer. There’s no pressure or sales pitch – just a laid-back conversation with tools to make your decisions easier!
