Brand building isn’t just having a great name.
Great brands are more than just great names. They mean something.
Think of Nike; it isn’t just a globally-known athletic brand, but it means something to casual, or even non-athletes. Or think Apple. It isn’t just a leading high tech brand, but there’s more, especially to Apple devotees.
How did they do this? They asked themselves certain questions that helped them define who they were and who their target audience is. These questions helped them showcase their value (something I recently wrote about).
When sitting down to define your brand, many questions will come into your head, but the following questions are vital to answer:
1. Why is my brand in existence? Your brand is your company. It is who you are. Sports teams exist to win trophies and to bring their supporters joy. What does your company bring to to its target audience?
2. What value does my brand offer? Before a potential consumer becomes a consumer, he or she will want to know what value your product will have for them. Value can be monetary or a positive emotional or health benefit. But before a consumer decides on the economic value of your brand, an emotional consideration will occur first. Define what value you are offering to your target audience. Like a sports team or a pop performer, your brand should offer a specific valuable experience for your consumer.
3. Is this what your audience needs? After you’ve answered the first question about why your brand exists, you must also know if what you are delivering is what your audience needs. You must be able to deliver an experience, and a product/service that your consumer needs. It isn’t just enough to be another computer company, but you must differentiate yourself from your competition.
Need help defining your brand? Contact SPARKS! and we’ll help you.
