Spin doctors: Tips for creating a stellar company brand

Many companies, especially small businesses, treat branding like an afterthought. Yet that element of marketing can hugely impact how your products are perceived — and whether you’re thought of first when customers seek out such products.

“Think about how many times you see the Nike swoosh in a month or a Pepsi or Coca-Cola logo,” writes Eric Hammis on Business2Community.com. “You probably get a certain sense or feel when you see this advertising. Before you start delivering your message and content to your projected audience, you must create an image of your company, or brand yourself.”

A well-conceived branding campaign should also be aimed at building loyalty. The factors most important to building brand loyalty? Quality, customer service and price, in that order, according to a recent survey.

Consider these suggestions for creating and optimizing a memorable brand for your company:

– Start with a thorough self-evaluation. Why are customers apt to choose your company? How does it compare to the competition? What are its strongest attributes? What do you hope customers think of when they picture your business? How would you define its personality?

– What motivates your key customers? What do they value most? Think about the thoughts and emotions that drive them to buy in your product category, then spend some time brainstorming the kinds of messages most likely to appeal now and into the future. Do certain themes, traditions, words, phrases, images, styles, colors or designs come to mind? Jot down all your thoughts, and don’t hesitate to think beyond what’s already been done. Then zero in on the key elements likely to profile your best assets.

– Consider how to achieve brand consistency in all elements of your operations. All your advertising and marketing will count for little, for example, if you fail to educate your employees on what you stand for, how you want to operate, what your priorities are and what kinds of customer experiences you’re targeting. First impressions are strong, which is why you must ensure your audiences get the same impression regardless of whether you’re interacting through your website, social media, storefront or other means. Consistency fosters trust.

– Align all your communications channels with your brand, right down to the vanity toll-free number you choose to help customers remember you accurately. Clever and memorable numbers used throughout your marketing and advertising can go a long way toward reinforcing your positive image, as can the friendliness and professionalism of those answering your phones.

Businesses that put serious thought into brand identity have more control over how they’re perceived by customers, which can be a strong competitive differentiator in today’s marketplace.

“If you’re not differentiated in some way, you quickly become a commodity, and the biggest differentiator then will be your price,” advises Sean McPheat of MDT Sales Training. “So, unless you’re the cheapest on the market, you had better be looking at your brand to build your value.”

Custom Toll Free can help you strategically create a vanity phone number that helps drive your company branding. Contact us at 1-800-CUSTOMIZE.