Understanding your brand identity is part of defining the unique, emotional propositions that helps you resonate with customers.
Marketers and business owners often get caught up in making sure our marketing activities are focused on ‘tactical’ sales results. Of course, ROI analysis of our various activities is always important. But what is it that sits ‘behind’ those customer decisions to purchase in the first place?
In other words, what are the pillars of a successful brand identity?
Define your archetype!
Marketers often talk about archetypes to define brands as personalities in a simple way. Those archetypes are useful to understand in the Board rooms, the marketing campaigns, and the operational teams.
They guide the essence of what we do, and the values that determine how we operate. They help to inform a consistent set of guiding principles, that let customers have confidence in who we are and what we offer them.
Some common examples of brand architypes are the Hero, Outlaw, Creator, Magician, Lover, Caregiver, Revolutionary and Explorer.
Think Harley Davidson for example, with its Outlaw brand archetype. The secret to this brand’s success? It’s consistent focus for over 100 years on its promise of liberation and timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul.
Or Estee Lauder – the “Lover”. “In the factory we produce perfume. In the magazines, we offer hope’, Estee Lauder once said. For its customers, the brand offers the emotional reward of intimacy and romance, fantasy, and passion.
Does this apply to small businesses?
But I hear you say – these are all multi-national companies – with multi-millions of dollars to invest in their brands and their marketing. What does this have to do smaller businesses?
Everything. No matter the size of the organization, there is great value in understanding your brand identity. and defining clearly, what is the core emotional promise you and your teams are providing. Here are some helpful tips to getting started.
- Get to genuinely know your customers – who are they and what is influencing and driving their decision – emotionally
- Understanding that – what is the potential of your brand is to resonate and reward them – emotionally.
- Consider the Archetype/s best suited to you, what does this mean, what is your ‘elevator pitch’ as a result.
- Differentiate then, between what you are offering your customers emotionally (the promise), and that go beyond the rational and logical (the price/package/deal).
- Build on the Emotional Connection consistently through all marketing communication channels. Use symbolism and imager for a stronger emotional connection.
- Use symbolism and imager for a stronger emotional connection.
How can Success Marketing help?
Success Digital Marketing is a Sunshine Coast digital marketing agency that assists companies to understand their brand identity.
We help businesses large and small to understand and express their brand identities to create and maintain customer loyalty as a result. Our brand marketing services include:
- Brand strategy development and workshops
- Logo, and style guides
- Integrated digital marketing campaign solutions:
- Website construction and management
- Search Engine Optimisation
- Social Media management
- Digital advertising.
- Training and mentoring
Talk to us about how our digital marketing services are tailored to our clients’ specific needs to help them succeed and grow.