What is a brand?
Many schools of thought have varied definition of what a brand is, but in the central theme of these definitions are; a brand is a promise, a purpose to differentiate you in the marketplace. An established brand evokes unique feelings and associations and a clear simple promise. It is instructive for businesses aiming to build their brands to deliver on every promise on the brand. It’s the only means by which repetitive purchases are made. The delivery of this promise must be clear and simple.
Building a successful brand takes time but it is achievable and itpays off in the long-run. A brand can reinforce your identity from competitors and can help to encourage customer loyalty. But developing a lasting brand involves a lot more than simply designing your logo. Here are some of the hacks to help you develop a brand that promotes repetitive buying;
• Communicate your brand to your employees and other stakeholders and explain why and how you arrived at the brand identity you are promoting. You will need their support to enhance your brand image
• A Compelling Mission Statement
A brand with no mission is like a car with no fuel – it has all the right equipment but isn’t going to get anywhere fast. Brands that have a clear message, intention and driving force behind them are generally more successful than brands without. Consider MTN’s tagline:EVERYWHERE YOU GO- is clear, concise and reflective of their brand. Any and all publications, designs or campaigns MTN undertakes calls back to this one tagline which helps direct focus and strengthens the consistency of the brand.
• Genuine Connection and Emotion
It is often said that people do not just buy the product or service but the experience that they expect to have. Just picture a cool weekend at the poolside of the plush GoldCoast Kempinski Hotel in Accra, surrounded by friends, sipping some cocktail, having fun and taking pictures. This is the brand promise fromKempinski Hotel. It is what one pays money for when they visit the place- it’s not always the good meals, the beautiful place which are all assured but the experience that comes with it. These expectations of experience originate from branding. The hotel positions itself sometimes subconsciously in the minds of patrons. It should be your aim to genuinely connect emotionally with your clients.
• Appeal To The Everyday Consumer
Coca-Cola, MTN, Nestle, Manchester United, Vodafone, Samsung,Apple,Toyota, Microsoft are all successful brands in the world.They all span across continents and countries, known and experienced by people of all walks of life. How come these brands are able to transcend borders by appealing to the everyday average person?There are certain emotions and life experiences that are common to the human race, whether we experience them ourselves every day or witness them been experienced by others, there are certain traits we can identify and relate to in some way. Successful brands use these experiences to build a universally accessible brand. Everybody wants comfort, and brands that promises and deliver on them build brand loyalty among consumers and that brings about repeated buying.
In effect, a successful brand must;
• Connect emotionally with customers
• Have a compelling supporting mission statement
• Appeal to the everyday customer
• Have the support and buy-in of stakeholders as they are the primary ambassadors of the brand.
Author: Paa Swanzy-Essuman || p.swanzy@ghanatalksbusiness.com
