HOW DO YOU BEGIN BUILDING A BRAND?
First, you need to take a hard look at what you’re trying to sell through your brand—your pricing, benefits / features, saturation of your universe and possible new audiences. A key to finding the answers to all of these issues is market research. Whether it is through focus groups, surveys or industry reports, research is key. Most companies that don’t succeed in an effective brand-building process usually did not spend time on market research.
Once research is done you’ll want firm, logical, strategic planning and implementation strategies to ensure the new brand is seen and understood by your target market. Finally, react to results and responses. An organization can even fail at this stage of the process if it’s not meeting the expectations that the brand has set. Meeting expectations and building a strong message will ensure your brand has a future.
IS BRANDING A WASTE OF MONEY?
Some people think that brand building is an expensive and lengthy process. Not so! Actually, in the long run it can save an organization money and can be done in a manageable time frame. How? Because if it’s done right, a new (or refreshed) brand is sending the right message to the right people so you’re not wasting marketing dollars on the wrong people. Your brand is also an important element in your member/customer retention program.
When you’ve built a strong brand, you’re sending a consistent message that will build member/customer awareness and loyalty over time. When two independent organizations (IDA AND ISMA) decided to merge, Marketing General Incorporated worked with their respective leadership to create a new brand image and awareness campaign to consolidate the two organizations. Behind this logo is an entire branding campaign that includes strategic planning, direct mail, a new positioning statement, new Web site, and other key communication pieces.