Top Branding Methods of 2022
Did you know?
Recent studies show that if you consistently promote your brand across multiple channels, you have a 23% chance of increasing your revenue? That means you will need to consistently promote your brand via email, social media, traditional marketing, word of mouth and more. Meaning, the more you do, the more you get in return. Can you see a pattern yet? If not, keep reading. Think about how many times you see a McDonald's or GEICO commercial. How many times do you see a Ford truck or car parked in the mall? These brands understand the importance of diverse branding. So why shouldn't you do the same?
Like I always say, just because they label you as a small business does not mean you have to play like one. It's time for you to get from behind the computer and take center stage. Let's activate your branding!
Instagrammable Investments
You probably are reading this because the title caught your attention and you're like,” I need to work on my branding so let me see what I can learn”. Well, you came to the right place because I will show you the world of branding is more than pretty aesthetics. To be a top brand in any industry you have to look beyond the Instagrammable photos and ask yourself “is this photo of me drinking coffee really making me money”? As I teach my clients and communities that I speak in front of, branding is psychological and dependent on the customer, not the new marketing trend. Believe it or not, your ideal client may or may not like watching reels but instead likes to read. It’s up to you to distinguish the difference.
I like to say branding is very similar to dancing (fun fact I am a professional dancer so roll with me here). You have to execute each movement (or strategy) correctly in order to have a great (performance) i.e. revenue. This is where you as the founder or CEO ( the performer) must execute or perform your marketing to make the right decision on how to show up for your audience on stage. And when I say stage I mean, email, social media, blogs, etc. Anywhere where you are representing your brand, you are performing for your audience.
There are two major keys to branding that we can learn from the bigger brands.
One you must become the client and create an unforgettable experience that leads to a sale. This is where those annoying ads come into play because they know how you think, where you shop so they consistently put their brand in front of your face staying top of mind. Did you know Sephora has a secret club for their top spenders? They’ve created an exclusive experience because they know what their customers want and how to deliver it. This of course gets them repeat sales. This leads me to my next key which if you haven’t caught on already then we need to go back to the drawing board.
You must be consistent. If you cannot be consistent, then you cannot brand your business. You have to always take the spotlight as a performer and your brand is no different.
Once you do that, then you will reap all the benefits of branding with a standing ovation, such as brand awareness, brand loyalty, credibility, and of course more money. So by now I'm sure you're wondering who I am? Well, I am Amber the activator, a 15 year corporate marketing vet that has worked with brands both big and small on activating their campaign development, marketing strategy and securing brand partnerships. I found a gap in the small business world on strategic marketing which led me to write this blog. Shout out to Nicole for the opportunity. So let's get started, 5,6,7,8 ( lol that’s how we start in dance).
How You Find Your Audience
One of the first things you need to know when branding is where your audience is? And let me make this clear, we are looking outside of social media. That is not the only platform that exists. So in order to figure this out, I like to take people back to English class with the who, what, when, where and how method. And yes, this is the very method we use as strategists to develop marketing campaigns.
Who are they? I tell everyone to create a name for your ideal client. This helps to make it more real and easier for you to get into the physiology of the person. Ask yourself these simple questions when creating your ideal client.
How old are they?
What characteristics do they have? For example, are they introverted or extroverted?
What are their learning styles or do they prefer to pay somebody?
This particular information will help you understand how they psychologically think which helps you to know how to brand yourself through their customer journey.
What are they consuming? This is the biggest question you should ask yourself. Are they consuming educational, motivational, or transformational content.Think about this and look at your current content to see if it aligns.
By now you’re probably like how do I even find this information about my audience? Well, let’s start with what you’re familiar with, social media. I tell my clients often that you must be committed and consistent in doing “ the work” to get the results you want. So, to learn how to brand yourself for your audience you should study the comments, hashtags, and anything they like. Here is a pro tip that most people don’t do: just ask! Ask your ideal clients questions such as:
How do you prefer to be marketed too?
What deters you from buying?
Who is your favorite brand and what attracted you to buy with them.
When do they consume information? Does your ideal client consume during work breaks or are they available after 5pm? Are they morning people versus night? This information will help you know when to present the information for maximum results.
Where do they consume information? Where do they listen or read their information? Outside of social media, you have newspapers, industry articles, YouTube videos, and more. This is extremely important when you are creating and branding your content as different platforms require different ways of working. A LinkedIn post is very different from a post on Instagram. You will have to figure out the differences based on your audience.
And last but not least is, how do they consume information? This is a very important question because this will determine if you should have a video or carousel on Instagram. There are two main ways people consume information, reading and or watching. For example, does your ideal audience enjoy articles and blogs over videos? What words are attractive to them and or phrases? People like to research before paying so think about the services you've invested in and what steps you took before purchasing and apply that to your business.
Final Secret
If you’ve made it this far I hope you have learned something new about branding that you can implement in your own business. Can I tell you a secret? There is no right or wrong answer to branding, but one thing you must do is be consistent! If you are struggling with it and need some accountability while building your brand then book a call with me and I can offer some guidance.
I hope you enjoyed learning about different ways to brand yourself outside of social media. If you'd like to stay in touch with me, here is my LinkedIn and Instagram. And if you need a better way to manage those new clients once you start branding then here is 50% off my favorite client management system, Honeybook.
Thanks for reading! Until next time,
Happy Activating
Amber the Activator