Blog Archives

Brand: 10 questions you need to ask about your customers

Brand has been around for a while but it can still be a confusing subject for many businesses and business owners. For example, many people still believe branding simply involves the creation of a simple logo, a tagline and a website. While a new logo and website may form part of the visual brand deliverables of a B2B branding process, they aren’t the total sum of the brand process. When it comes to creating a new brand or refreshing an existing brand, there are a range of factors that need to be taken into consideration other than just the logo design and an impressive-looking website.

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Brand: why no one ever really buys a product or service (and what they do buy).

No one has ever purchased a product or service. Ever.
Deny it as much as you want but we have only ever purchased one thing whenever we’ve bought something in the past, or if we intend to make a purchase (large or small) in the future – and it’s not a tangible product or even a service.

Regardless of socio-economic status – whether you’re filthy rich or poor, this factor does not discriminate. It applies equally to all people regardless of their background or status and in this way it defines and demonstrates its true power. Harness and communicate this quality and your business will experience serious growth.

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Brand: discover the power of identity.

Identity. It’s a powerful thing.
Underlying everything we are and do, identity is what defines us, what we hold dear, what some people strive for, what many struggle to come to terms with, what some of us fight for and, in extreme cases, what some of us die for.

Identity (which includes relevance, meaning, connection and understanding) is what many are currently searching for to define themselves and their place in this crazy world. And yet, ironically, when pressed, many of us have no clear identity of who we really are either. We’ve never really considered our own identity for two reasons – no one has ever asked us and life kind of got in the way, right?

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3 reasons why your brand needs video.

Effective videos are compelling, in-depth and emotional and with the right strategy behind it they are the perfect addition for your brand blueprint for business growth. Harnessing the power of video can therefore work wonders for increased brand awareness.

I recently met a talented documentary videographer with a distinct stylistic point of difference on my networking travels, which prompted me to write this blog about the power of brand videos in your brand storytelling strategy. We’ve all heard the saying ‘a picture tells a 1000 words’ right? If that’s the case, then what does a video add to your brand? Quite a lot as it turns out…

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Brand: two questions you need to ask before you rebrand.

Two of the most powerful questions to ask when rebranding are also two of the simplest. Unfortunately for many businesses, the simplest questions also tend to be the hardest. As always, with brand, it involves digging deep, getting into your head (and your customers’ heads) and shaping your brand’s perception.

The first million-dollar brand question is this:

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7 reasons to narrow your market focus for business growth.

Can you really shrink to greatness? How can you grow your business by narrowing your focus? As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, a lot of brands today focus their resources and energies on the ‘brand’ itself, but the shift has already started – tomorrow ‘brand’ will be focused on building ‘community’ with an emphasis increasingly on interactions between advocates, customers and individual.

Somewhat counter intuitively, the way to build a community of like-minded people with the same values and beliefs (i.e. a brand) is not to go out and cast your net as wide as possible to anyone and everyone who will listen. Instead, get selective about your customer. Very selective…

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Brand: deliver on your promise. It’s a matter of trust.

‘Certainty in an uncertain world’: that’s the emotional and functional benefit an effective brand offers to your customers – and by reflection your business. Consumers want to know they’re standing on solid ground with your offering – not only in terms of buying value but that your delivering something they can rely on – something they can trust. Time after time.

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Brand: build a small, super-engaged community around your brand.

The most effective brands today and in the future will focus on building community, not content. While customers still want information, they really want connection and they’re looking for identity. Dig a little deeper and brand is really about giving customers something to believe in, be it purpose or fulfilment, all wrapped up around a community of similar thinking people – hence your tribe. All the more reason to get laser-focused on…

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Brand: it’s your business approach.

Many businesses believe brand is a one-time process and a one-time investment – usually involving a series of meetings, workshops or discussions over a period of time (along with the price tag) with a specialist in marketing who talks in abstractions about experiences, emotions and mission & vision statements where nothing is ever concrete or certain. This is perhaps ironic given that brand and brand strategy provides your customers with certainty in an uncertain world.

There’s also the business that believes brand is…

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Brand: How to build a ‘AAAA’ brand in 4 steps

There are four core building blocks to build a brand of substance, style and significance. Without one of these building blocks or ‘brand pillars’ your brand will collapse in on itself, because the brand will lack the necessary integrity, infrastructure or vital ingredients. These include the vision, values & belief, the framework, support, energy, human element and natural momentum to grow with your intended ‘tribe’. Remember, no one person builds a brand…

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