In this fast-changing business environment, it is more important than ever for marketers to evolve their brands and build loyalty among target audiences. Whether you have a consumer or a business-to-business brand, more opportunities ”“ particularly online ”“ present themselves every day. As 2011 winds down and businesses prepare for next year, how can you break through the noise and win more customers in the year ahead?
Here are five ideas to prepare your brand for a profitable 2012:
Do a brand tuneup. Review all of the touch points of your brand from your business cards to your company brochure. Are you still using the same logo and tagline as when you launched the business? If your logo looks dated or doesn”™t reproduce well in a range of environments from your email signature to your website, it may be time for an overhaul. Make sure the colors, typefaces and imagery are contemporary and impactful.
Review your messaging/positioning. This back-to-basics approach may sound old school but the core of how you articulate your company”™s value is more important today than ever. Are you differentiated enough from your competitors? Have you launched new products or services in the past year? What do you want to be known for? If any of your capabilities have expanded or changed in the past year, this is a good time to review how you and your staff are talking and thinking about your brand.
Review your outbound communications ”“ print and online advertising, social media, email marketing campaigns and website ”“ and analyze what has and has not been effective this past year. There are many platforms for communicating your message and you want to make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck. When you review your activities, do it with an eye on what key messages were effective and fine-tune this messaging for your 2012 communications goals.
Are your customers loyal to your brand? Perhaps the better question is: Are you loyal to your customers? Brand loyalty is valuable because it keeps existing customers coming back and drives your reputation as a way of attracting new ones. In a recent survey by The Hub, a marketing magazine, respondents said their favorite brands “evolve with thoughtful innovative features that are authentic to the brand and address their needs.” What are you doing to evolve your brand and build its reputation and customer loyalty on an ongoing basis? Building a game plan for doing this now will help your company in 2012.
What are customers and prospects saying about you? Do you Google your company and your products regularly? Online platforms can provide wonderful forums for customers to sing your company”™s praises ”“ or you can be vulnerable to criticism that you can”™t necessarily control. Appoint one or several people within your company to be “brand ambassadors” and ask them to troll blogs, news forums and other online outlets to see what customers are saying about you ”“ the good and the bad ”“ so you can be proactive in how you position your company.
The marketing landscape is becoming increasingly fractured as more opportunities present themselves. Focusing on what you are doing to evolve your brand will solidify your market position and enable you to grow your company”™s customer base and sales volume.
Roberta Cohen is principal of 2.0 Marketing L.L.C., a brand marketing agency in Stamford. Reach her at Roberta@2dotzero.com.
Roberta, You have written a very good article and if I were in business I would turn to you for solid advice.
I am very proud of you.
Love and hugs,
Your Mom