Branding

The importance of branding for the launch of a new business

Decades ago, branding was defined as a name, slogan, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of these elements, that distinguished one company, product or service from another.

Today, the brand or branding is more complex and even more important.

Launching a company or a product is an exciting undertaking. You've developed a solution to an unmet consumer need, and you're ready to share it with the world. But the extensive planning process, from content development to sales and PR training, means your launch team has a lot to do.

In the midst of the planning commission, it can easily become too product-focused and overlook the definition of your brand. Just like an airplane needs great engineering, a solid flight plan, and a smart crew to keep it flying, your business requires the same diversity and quality of development to maintain momentum long after launch is over. A key to continued profitable growth is a strong brand and sometimes the use of a brand identity agency.

Reasons to boost your branding

Here are four reasons why branding development is an essential part of your product launch planning process:

1. Product differentiation

For your product launch to be successful, you need to understand your customer's motivations and pain points in relation to the unique value your product adds.

Broadening your focus to both your customer and your product helps you find your ideal market position or sweet spot.

Tips to find your sweet spot:

• Create customer profiles and your target audience.
• Use marketing data to identify the values ​​and needs of your customers. For example, website visits and content downloads can provide quantitative clues about what shoppers are looking for, while surveys and interviews allow for more qualitative feedback.
• Assess the competitive landscape. Once you understand your competitors' technology and products, you can more easily identify areas where you can win.

Once you've found your key differentiators, you can create a brand story that speaks to your customers and helps your product stand out from the competition.

 2. Story of the brand or branding

A compelling brand story, told consistently and clearly across all marketing channels, is vital to the success of your product launch.

From PR and email to marketing and content design, the ability to convey how your product solves customer problems will motivate them to buy and ultimately transform them into brand advocates.

Tips for telling your brand story:

• Develop key messages that highlight the differentiators of the product; include them on your website, in creative materials, in sales materials and in press kits.
• Keep the message coherent both in internal communication and in external promotion.
• Create a brand style guide that defines the language used to describe the product, as well as proper spelling, punctuation, and graphic elements.
• Avoid marketing or industry jargon that may mean little to customers.

3. Relations with clients

First impressions are an important aspect of interpersonal relationships, and the same goes for brands.

From their first interaction with your content to the service they receive as a customer, you want shoppers to have a great experience with your company and product.

By establishing a brand strategy, you can start connecting with customers from day one.

Make sure that all branding elements involved in launching your product are consistent, professional, and reflect your company values.

As in any relationship, just own who you are and if people relate to it, they will support you.

4. Trust

Ultimately, a brand is a promise to stay true to its distinctive identity and add value for consumers.

When launching a new product, customers may be skeptical if they don't have something similar to compare the product to or are unfamiliar with your company.

The development of your branding allows you to create supporting content and professional images that improve the understanding of the product by buyers.

By addressing potential risks or concerns customers may have with your product, you can establish trust early in the buyer's journey.

Branding as product presentation

Brand development should be at the heart of your marketing strategy for a product launch.

Several elements will comprise the identity of your new product. Some brand essentials include:

• Brand identity manual
• Color palette and fonts
• Logo
• motto or slogan
• Website
• Social media platforms
• business letters
• Letterhead and envelopes
• media kit

The functionality and quality of your product are undoubtedly important factors in the launch process. But what is even more important to ensure the lasting success of your product? your clients.

by Nick Loggie

A 5-Step Guide to Improving the Brand Image of Your Company

An important aspect of your company's marketing strategy is branding. By creating a strong, recognizable brand, you'll be able to connect with existing consumers, sell to new ones, and encourage loyalty. A highly competitive marketing environment can make it a bit cluttered. In a sea of competitors, your brand must stand out, especially if you want to be recognized by your intended audience. To distinguish yourself from the crowd, you must stand out. An effective branding strategy requires meticulous planning and well-thought-out execution. The following tips will help you stand out from the crowd and improve the image of your brand.

Make your Website

Make sure your website is treated with the same respect you would your own home. It should reflect your business and portray a desired impression. The ease and simplicity of building a website have become so prevalent that it’s easy to choose a format and design simply based on the ease with which it can be constructed. In this area, if you need some extra assistance, you might want to consider investing. You will be researched by the majority of potential clients before they even consider making a purchase or stopping by. You need to build your business website thoughtfully if your main gig is e-commerce.

Great Unboxing Experience

The excitement of finding a package on your front porch is something everyone has experienced. A good reveal can still be exciting even if you know what you're getting if the reveal is tailored to what you already liked about the brand. Having the opportunity to unbox builds on our desire and enjoyment of discovering new things. A memorable unboxing experience can increase repeat conversions and provide a great customer experience. By offering customized packaging to your customers, you are showing them that you care not only about the handling of their product but that you are dedicated to providing the best customer service experience possible. 

Organize Events

Make a double impact by combining community efforts with events. Show your appreciation for your clients by hosting a special event perhaps unveiling a new product or offer, and working with a local charity to raise money. You'll see a greater increase in client loyalty if you show that your marketing efforts aren't entirely self-serving. Your choice of a cause may resonate on a personal level with many clients, which will enhance their loyalty to you.

Reward Consumers

The more loyal a customer is to a brand, the more likely they are to spend money with that brand. What is the best way to keep a customer happy? Prizes are always a good idea! The loyalty programs of companies tend to make customers more likely to continue doing business with them. Rewarding your previous clients with money is a good idea. But why? You are ten times more likely to receive a referral from a satisfied customer than from a dissatisfied one. Although we all want new clients, keeping existing customers yields better results. To convince your existing customers to buy, you don't have to spend as much on marketing. Wouldn't it be better to praise them rather than punish them?

Great Customer Service  

It is important to provide your customers with a clear understanding of what they can expect from your company during their interactions. Your brand's voice must be used throughout your marketing channels to deliver brand-consistent experiences. Success comes from trust, which leads to expectations. It is easier to build trust with people when they know what to expect. You will therefore have a higher chance of gaining referrals from friends, family, and colleagues as a result. Consequently, your brand loyalty will grow along with your clientele. 

Conclusion

Having a strong brand is everything. It is similar to a garden that requires constant attention—but neglect can lead to its demise. Over time, your brand will become stronger and flourish if you pay close attention to how you present your brand and how you engage customers.

by Nick Loggie

Why is Branding so Important for a Family-Owned Business?

The short answer: because it makes your business visibility and appeal skyrocket. Branding is an essential step in business strategies at any level, but family-centric branding is a special category. Let’s take a closer look at how family-owned businesses benefit from good branding.

Community relevance

One distinct advantage of family-owned businesses is that there is a distinct bond to the area which makes them stand out from chain stores and other “faceless” competition. Good branding will lean into that bond. This shows in the business name, brand story, and customer experience.

First, a family-owned business should make its status obvious in its name. Many family ventures are named after the family themselves. Other options include local-specific jargon, puns, references to endemic flora or fauna, names based on local landmarks, etc.

Next, the brand story of a family-owned business emphasizes the heritage they share with their customer base. This can refer to ethnic roots, culture, values, traditions, knowledge etc. Finally, the customer experience provided by a family-owned business blends the above two points.

Family members should lean into their neighborly personas. The business itself (store, merchandise, and service) should be styled in a distinct way with lots of personality. All this makes the business stand out in its community while still being closely connected.

Image by rawpixel.com

Reputation for reliability

Customers want to know that the business will be there for them in terms of quality, and will stay in operation for as long as they need it. A family-owned business automatically suggests this dependability because it’s assumed to be passed down between generations.

A well-conceived branding strategy can solidify that idea in people’s minds. Make a point of emphasizing continuity. You can do that via slogans (e.g. “Run by So-and-So Family for X Generations”), business name (e.g. “So-and-So and Sons”), or suffixes of time (e.g. “Established by So-and-So Family in [Year]”).

Generational expertise

Stemming from the previous point, lean as far as you can into the heritage aspect of your business. Utilize old family tales, documents, memories of your living elders, or even probate genealogy research to establish your family tree and its story. The more detailed your big picture, the more fleshed out your branding strategy.

It has practical operational merits as well. When the young and old are in business at the same time, you get a unique perspective in all aspects. There’s an invaluable balance between experience, proven methods, innovation, and adaptability.

In the eyes of your customers, an intergenerational business is well-suited to their own families. They will see you as a company that understands the needs of parents, the wants of children, and the caprices of nostalgic elders and moody teens.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-air-jordan-1-1032109/

Increased credibility

Good branding can also offset the inherent downsides of the family-owned business format. When you tout family as your primary value, it might cast doubt on professional merit. Your business has to demonstrate both to customers and potential employees that family membership doesn’t trump skill and expertise.

Strategic branding can lend the professional tone and image that outside stakeholders find reassuring. The familial aspect of the business should complement its credibility, rather than overshadow it. Combine the family brand with external objectivity.

Ensured continuance

On a final note, it’s important to distinguish between the people and the business. The family are the voice and vision behind the brand. The business itself is an entity of its own. It can be tempting to intertwine them, but long-term that strategy backfires.

The trap lies in generational shifts. People will inevitably retire at some point and let the young folks take the reins. If customers develop loyalty to a person rather than a brand, they will go away once that person stops working. For a family-owned business, which is by definition small and local, that could be a devastating blow.

To sum up, branding is a powerful tool for family-owned businesses. It amplifies the strengths of community, personality, local relevance, and continuity. At the same time, it offsets the potential lack of professionalism. It also establishes boundaries between the people and the business, helping to navigate intergenerational transitions.

by Nick Loggie

Branding for Travel and Tourism: How to Do It Right

As you already know, branding is used to personify your business. Branding gives your business a voice, personality, looks, and values, making it special and different from others. The ultimate goal of a well-defined brand is to appeal to the right audience, having a long-lasting effect. Branding is essential for any kind of business, including travel and/or tourism one. Creating a strong brand for your travel and tourism business can help you stand out from the crowd in the highly competitive market. In that way, you can attract more customers and increase the number of bookings. 

To do the branding right, you should first create your brand story and identify your target audience. Along the way, you should be thinking about the tone and voice of your brand. Also, it is important to grasp the importance of the destination brands - more on that later on. If you already have a brand, but you're not so satisfied with it, you should consider refreshing it. You can refresh all of its aspects, including the logo, colour palette, imagery, and typography.

1. Create your brand story

Every business has some kind of backstory, a story of origin. When it comes to a travel or tourism business, it often starts out with a passion for adventure, the community, or the destination. Being aware of how you started can help you with outlining your values. Your values are, in fact, the base of your brand story. When you write them down and share them publicly, you will have principles that will help in guiding your business decisions. To learn more about your company’s purpose, you should think about some questions, such as how you started your business, where you got the idea, what inspired you, what makes you different from other companies, what you strive to do, and why your team is exceptional. Then, blend these answers into your brand story.

2. Identify your target audience

What goes along with creating a perfect brand story is identifying your target audience. It’s always easier to match your brand to the target audience than the other way around. Think about whether you already appeal to a certain group of people. Keep in mind the different types of travellers as they prefer diverse types of trips. For instance, if you offer your customers the unique experience of whale watching on the Gold Coast, your target will be people who are adventurers and love animals. On the other hand, your business can offer trips to exotic destinations or snowy ones, and then your target audience is a bit different. Consider carefully who you want to attract. It is quintessential to identify the right target audience.

3. Set your brand tone and voice

The next things you need to set are your brand tone and voice. When communicating directly or indirectly with your customers, your attitude, personality, and values shine through. Every message that you send out in any form reveals your company’s mission as well as its characteristics. It is what we call the brand voice. Your brand voice should be clear and distinctive as it helps you position yourself in the market. What you should be mindful of is the fact that it should be unique across all channels to be effective. You should have the same tone and voice across your website, social media, and blogs, as well as in communication with customers. 

4. Don’t overlook the importance of destination brand

A destination brand is a specific type of brand that has the goal of creating a shared vision of the destination your business is promoting. In a way, it promises a unique travel experience based on the special features the destination in question offers. In most cases, there are destination organizations that create their brand and then just pass the information on to you to use it and attract customers. By having a plausible destination brand, the visitors arrive with preset expectations and, naturally, book activities that will fulfill those expectations. When you deliver them what they are looking for, they will surely have a unique and memorable experience.

5. Refresh your brand

In cases when you already have some sort of branding done but you are not fully satisfied, you can always give your brand a makeover and refresh it. Assess the aspects such as the logo, colour palette, typography, and imagery and make changes where needed. You can even consider using one of the beloved celebrities to promote your brand even more. 

These are just some of the most essential aspects of branding for travel and tourism. Make sure that you don’t skip them if you want to achieve business success.

by Nick Loggie