Brand Strategy by Design

Don’t confuse customers. Make them fall in love!

Many clients think their logo is their brand. But it’s much more than a graphic image. It’s the way people feel when they interact with your marketing. It’s the promise your company makes to your prospects and your customers. It’s your brand’s personality. It’s their experience of your company.

Many companies operate for many years without a defined Brand Strategy. But to compete in the market today, companies need to position themselves in a way that clearly distinguishes them from their competitors. How will people fall in love with you if they’re confused about who you are?

Companies that demonstrate value will build a reputation that attracts and retains customers.

They will build equity in their brand. Forgetting material assets, which depreciate over time, your brand can become more valuable over time. How much could Disney sell their name for?

But how do we go about designing a Brand Strategy? There are several key ingredients for creating your own secret recipe:

How Network9 designs a Brand Strategy

Brand Positioning: Getting to The Big Idea

We often say we get to know your company better than you know it yourself. We do our homework on your competitors to see what we’re up against, what they are doing well, and what they may not be.

We position you in the market in a way that no other company can own.

We talk to your customers to find out what they love—and don’t love— about your product. We ask them how your product or service made their lives better. We ask them why they come back for more. We also look at how and where you deliver your message. This way, we create an authentic space for your brand to live in. Read our post about brand design

People can smell a phony. You want to be positioned as exactly who you are, back it up with proof and stick with it.

Reputation Building

Your reputation is the reason people choose you over your competitors. Building trust requires a strategy, precise language, consistency and persistence. If you are not reinforcing your reputation, you are eroding it.

Brand Architecture: Structuring for the future

Structuring your company for future growth can avoid a major (And expensive) rebranding later on. Are you planning to launch more products? Will they live under the same brand, or will the division have a new identity? Read more about Brand architecture here.

Brand Identity: Non-verbal communication

Of course, looks do matter. Your logo design, color palette, photography, website, brochures, videos, even the fonts we use are purposefully designed and chosen. Graphics elicit emotion and communicate the attitude of your company in a non-verbal, but very powerful way. With Network9, your logo will be designed to mean something about your brand, not just be a swish thrown on top of Comic Sans. Your colors will suit your brand, even if they’re not your daughter’s favorite shade of purple.

Brand Management: Your brand’s Watchdog

To build a successful brand, you need to align your goals with a marketing strategy and a plan of action to get the word out. You’ll need a team of talented writers, designers and social media managers to create content that will continue the conversation and retain customers. Brand integrity can deteriorate over time, especially when many vendors are involved. A dedicated Brand Manager will be your brand’s watchdog and assure that the messages you deliver are always on brand. Familiarity breeds love. Read more about the importance of Brand Management

Brand Voice: You are your word

The pen is indeed mightier than the sword. What you say and how you say it is amplified a million times on the Internet. Professional copywriters who understand your business, practice SEO and deliver content that has value to your customers is crucial to getting the love from customers—and Google. We hire and manage writers who match your voice to your brand. And, keep your content interesting and posted consistently.

Customer activation: Engaging your customers

Consumers are inundated with products more than ever before. But, unlike Mad Men days, they can now interact with you—and they want to. Thinking like your customers can inspire you to think of creative ways to play with them— and get them to play with you. That’s how best friends are made. Read our post: You Had Me at Hello

Staff activation: Creating Brand Ambassadors

Your employees are on the front lines. They are your Brand Ambassadors.

• Who answers your phone?
• Who responds to inquiry emails?
• Who interacts with your LinkedIn group members?
• Are they your best Brand Ambassadors?

If you’ve ever been in a Trader Joe’s, you know what good employees can do. When I can’t find the Fillo Bites, they stop what they’re doing and walk me over. Wow.

Even online, your company’s voice must be consistent with your brand promise. Clients say they give great customer service, but do they? What does that mean to you? Let’s find out. Then, you can train your employees to represent you in a more meaningful way.

How is your own Brand Strategy? Not sure how to begin? Want an audit? Contact us for a consultation!