Put your best foot forward Written by Carly Snyder, CAG Marketing
Coming off our last couple of podcasts looking at the consumer staples & communications sectors got me thinking about big brands. iPhone or Samsung? Coke or Pepsi? Netflix or (dare I say) Cable? We all have brand preferences and it’s likely they started long ago and rarely change over time. I recently moved from Cleveland to St. Louis and re-establishing my go-to brands particularly in the grocery store often makes me feel paralyzed with indecision (which one is most like Heinen’s?!). I’m not alone on this. Brands give personality and in turn we connect, we relate, we become loyal. Depending on your target audience, your brand can be anything from trustworthy to fun to innovative or anything in between.
Getting your message right is vital. Whether it’s your personal brand or the company you work for – branding connects something (you, your business, your product) with features, ideas, feelings that make it recognizable.
Here are a few tips for evaluating your brand (or if you find yourself watching the Super Bowl on Sunday – try applying these questions to your favorite commercial):
- Who are you trying to attract?
- What do you want your brand to stand for? What beliefs and values guide you / your work?
- What words do you not want to be associated with?
- How are you different from other people / companies?
- Where do you want to be in 12 months? 3 years? How have you changed from today?
If you’re new to branding or ready for a refresh – do yourself a favor and be authentic. We are living in an experience economy where bad news travels fast and expectations continue to rise. The sooner you establish your fan base, the better!
