Your brand is everything that your customers and prospects think, feel, say, hear, read, watch, imagine, suspect and hope about your business. Your task is to keep topping up your audience’s memory bank with regular communications that maintain your place in their minds. Irrespective of your aim - market share or market growth, there are a set of guiding principles that apply…
Always have a plan
There is a common saying in business that a “bad plan is better than no plan at all”. Whilst I am inclined to agree with this thought, I maintain that in order for any business to truly measure success there must be a well-conceived business plan in place. The purpose of your marketing plan is to support the goals and aspirations of your business plan, which should include a series of measurable KPI’s at every stage. If you are clear about what you are aiming for it will be clear to your customers and prospects too.
It’s ‘still’ all about people
According to statistics 84 percent of advertising in the UK is not remembered. Why is this? Because nobody thought about the end user – the punter. You don’t have to endure meaningless TV commercials watching people and clouds, lack of understanding and imagination is everywhere in branding.
Know your audience; because they are and always have been the media. You may have all the “Big Data” at your fingertips and all the latest channels to publish across. However, without a ‘true’ understanding of who you are talking to you, where to reach them on their terms, what you want to say and what action you want them to take, welcome the ‘84 percent club’.
Channel your inner salesperson
Many people involved with brands would be horrified to be associated with sales. This is immediately evident by the irrelevant rubbish that many brands produce in the name of advertising.
Can a vehicle brand save the world? The answer is of course no. However, they should provide a brilliant product with reliable aftercare, at the right price and without doing any harm. Far better to accept this and focus on the desired outcome – a sale!
If your brand is struggling to pass the theory or practical, please get in touch: hello@gsbd.co.uk