Basic Branding.

To develop a branding strategy, you need to know what branding is. Many people mix up branding with marketing, advertising, or just logos. But branding isn't a part of your marketing plan, and it's more than just your slogan. It is “all the meanings that all your possible audiences carry around about you in their heads and their hearts.”

For example, John Lewis is a British store. When people think of it, they think of words like "quality, service, value, partnership," and "middle class." Even though John Lewis has customers from different backgrounds, they all think of the brand in similar ways. Similarly, the Nike swoosh logo makes people think of things like "achievement, sport, fashion, quality," and "high-profile sponsorships." Nike's brand gives it a personality and reputation that its products alone can't create.

Why Brand?

Consumers often buy based on feelings rather than just product features. They stick with brands they emotionally connect with. Your product becomes special when it's linked to meanings that matter to buyers, making them come back for more. Brands give products value beyond just being things to buy. People choose your brand because it somehow fits their needs and feelings.

Think about two brands you like and how they're meaningful to you. Then, list five reasons why they matter. Do the same for your own brand. Strong brands are "compelling, authentic, and relevant." Your target audience knows your brand and relates it to similar ideas. They remember its name, logo, and slogan. A well-known brand doesn't need constant explanation.

Strength isn't the only thing that defines how people see a brand. Even if everyone knows your brand, it might still bring up negative thoughts. Think about North Korea and South Korea. People might have similar ideas about both, but South Korea likely comes off more positively. Brands with bad images might get talked about, but they don't get a lot of repeat customers, and their ads don't seem genuine. On the other hand, when a brand has a good image, people talk about it for free, recommend it to friends, come back for more, and give positive feedback.

Refocus and plan.

Money might have been your initial reason for starting a business, but its influence pales in comparison to purpose. Discover the deeper meaning that drives your business and use it as the foundation for your branding. Brands that resonate with people tap into a part of their humanity. To develop your brand, connect with your emotions and understand your goals. While branding is emotional, running a business requires more than just feelings. Strategy is also crucial. A well-defined strategy acts like a compass, guiding you forward and helping you navigate obstacles. It clarifies your ultimate goal. 

Don’t mix up strategy with tactics, which are the methods you use to achieve results. Your strategy should align with your skills or ones you can acquire, and determine which tasks you can do yourself and which you should outsource. For example, you might enjoy handling finances but lack the design skills needed for an attractive display. In this case, you could manage your own finances but hire someone with creative talent.

Morphological Analysis for Brand Strategy

"Morphological Analysis" helps you build a brand strategy and understand your business qualities for branding. Create a grid with four columns and eight rows. For example, if you're opening a coffee house, label columns with aspects like "location, style, customer type, and business emphasis." List options for each aspect in rows. For example, Under location, you might include "mall, city precinct, business district, sidestreet, mobile van, college campus, village," and "seaside." After completing the grid, consider all combinations. Choose ones that align with your idea or offer new possibilities. Your values humanize your business, but generic labels like "honest" or "reliable" lack impact. To define meaningful values, create a grid with one value per box. Analyze each value's relevance, internal appeal, consumer meaning, uniqueness, and communication ease. Consider if “you'd passionately defend each value”.

Know Your Competition.

Every product or service has competitors. Instead of feeling intimidated, get informed. Look at your competition locally, nationally, and globally. Identify what they do well, and think about how you could offer a better brand experience. Pay attention to things that customers connect with the competing brand, and think about what makes your brand stand out.

Understand Your Market.

Figure out who your target customers are. You can't please everyone, so focus on your specific audience. Decide who you don't want to target. For instance, if you have a bed and breakfast, you might not want customers who want 24-hour room service, bring pets, or expect cable TV.

Examine your brand.

Use the "six-leg spider" exercise to understand your brand better. Draw a circle in the middle of a big paper and draw six lines from it. Answer these questions for each line:

1. "Product/benefit" - What do you sell? How does it help customers?

2. "Desired positioning" - How do customers see your brand compared to others?

3. "Style" - How does your brand connect with customers?

4. "Mission" - Why do you sell your product or service?

5. "Vision of the future" - Where do you want your brand to be in the future?

6. "Values" - What does your company believe in? What values are important?

Place well.

Positioning means where â€œthe space your brand occupies in the hearts and minds of your audience relative to comparable brands.”  Imagine you have a bike shop that sells high-end bikes. There's a sports store nearby that sells bikes and other sports gear. Instead of seeing them as competition, think about how your shop is different. You sell high-quality bikes while they sell cheap imitations. Your staff knows a lot about bikes, but theirs are more general. Your customers are serious cyclists, not just casual riders.

Create a short statement for your brand's strengths and goals. Explain how you'll achieve these goals and what your brand means to customers. Use a catchy line in your ads to show your brand's image, like Nike's "Just do it" or Budweiser's "King of Beers." Keep your line brief, simple, and true to your brand. Avoid jokes or foreign words. Come up with a few options, check for mistakes, and test them in a small group before deciding.

Basics of Advertising

Marketing and advertising are different. Marketing involves bringing your product or service to market, while advertising is paid space in the media. When you make a print ad, radio spot, or TV commercial, you control the message. Media relations often includes public relations efforts, where you don't pay but also don't control the message. However, a story in the press is more credible than paid advertising.

Publications, broadcasts, and websites use press releases and media packages for content. A typical media package sent via email includes:

• A cover letter introducing your product.
• A description of your product or its recent news.
• Background details and high-quality photographs.
• Your full contact information.

For press releases, use a three- or four-word headline, a short first paragraph with your message, and other relevant information. Since few people read press releases entirely, put the important information at the top.

Create ads

Creating ads that work is tough for many small-business owners. To spend your money wisely, avoid common mistakes. Start by figuring out what you want your ads to do: make people aware, boost sales, or explain what you offer. Know your audience well. Find out where they live, what matters most to them, and which media they use. Then, choose advertising that fits their interests and location. Consider hiring pros to write and design your ads or handle your media buys.

Having a website is a must. Make sure it looks great, is easy to use, has helpful info, and is better than your rivals' sites. You might also want to show your brand on other websites and online stores, like eBay. Learn about search engine optimization (SEO) to improve your site's ranking in online searches. And get on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to connect with your audience.

Image, In and Out

Every action you take either strengthens or weakens how people see your brand. You connect with customers through different points of contact, like online experiences, packaging, and in-person visits. Each interaction can either leave a positive impression, boosting your brand, or a negative one, dragging it down. Let's rate how well your brand performs in general communication, online experience, packaging, branch experience, follow-up, and handling complaints. Here's the harsh reality: no one cares about your brand as much as you do.

To make your employees true supporters of your brand, you need to communicate effectively with them. Follow these four guidelines:

1. "Talk": Reach out to your employees with genuine enthusiasm.

2. "Listen": Pay attention to what your employees think and feel.

3. "Empower": Help your employees understand what your brand means to you.

4. "Respect": Always respect your employees' ideas and emotions. 

Remember, your employees represent your brand, so it's crucial to keep them on board with your brand strategy.