I walked into my 10:30 am class , marketing to be precise, dragging my feet. That’s how “amped” I was about the topic we were covering that morning. “Branding”, all I kept thinking was “man, can this day be over already!” Funny enough the topic turned out to be more fascinating than anticipated. I remember vividly what my lecturer emphasised on in detail (well not everything). Of course for this blog I had to read a little more to remind myself of the basics when you sort out to evolve your brand. Allow me to tear these down in steps;
Step 1. Be Strategic
*Your logo is the foundation of your brand. If/when revamping the whole look of your logo you need to make sure the new look is a mere reflection of the old, so much so that when your clientele take one look at your logo they are convinced of your growth and not the other way round.
*The way you package your entire brand must immediately convey what class of services you promise your clients. Are you the high quality low-budget service, high budget high quality or the low-budget low quality service?
*Your distribution platforms form an important part of your strategy. Obviously baring in mind what your target audience is. What, how and where you communicate is also vital for your audience to embrace the new you.
Step 2. Be Objective
*Your employees must be able to recognise your brand attributes.
*Meet the overall expectations of your clients beyond the “call of duty”?
*Your branding must be the voice of your firm/ business.
*Be conversational
*Stay true to your brand promise. This always ensures customers returning/ referring others to your services.
Step 3. Be Consistent
*This is key and requires commitment in every form for your brand to stay above ground in whatever industry you in. Always leave your clients with that “check mate” effect every time.
*Establish a persuasive, simple message that you literally “pledge allegiance” to. Your brand needs to live and breathe consistency.
*Remember that being consistent doesn’t mean bombarding your audience with the same message every time you engage, but it does mean staying relevant and bringing fresh, new ideas to your clients while ensuring that everything you do is at par with your brand message.
How you want your clients to perceive you rests enormously on the above three things I touched on. Send one unified CLEAR message to your clients. It doesn’t matter which channels you use. The intended message should always leave them feeling comfortable bringing their business to you and that their millions are indeed in safe hands.
To enlighten you just a little more, read this brief blog focusing on the psychological explanation behind colour in our eNitiate logo and why certain businesses choose to use these colours for their services.
