Building a brand is an integral part of any business development. It not only helps increase consumer awareness but also gives your brand the identity it deserves. However, you need to understand that brand building involves the use of crucial resources and is a time- consuming process that requires efforts.
Today, there are several interactive platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Blogging and so many others that have given many businesses an opportunity to boost their brand awareness.
Here, we shall understand the definition of brand building and also look at some of the strategies that may help in creating a successful brand.
What is Brand Building?
Truth to be told, there is no proper definition that actually defines brand building perfectly. The easiest and the best way to understand brand building is: it is a process to communicate and add value to the consumers.
It is one of the best ways for your consumers to know, feel and experience your brand. It is not just your logo, your website or brand name but a vision that you want to communicate for your Brand.
Brand building usually encompasses specific and long term achievable strategies. It is much bigger than all this and one should be consistent and patient to get the most through it.
The five basic strategies involved in brand building are as follows;
1. Position of your brand
Firstly, you will have to understand what your brand is all about and make it different from others if you want to stand out from the competition. You can achieve this by creating unique advantages for your customers and focusing less on your brand logo, colors or other such less important elements.
Say, you have cut yourself, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Band-aid right?
But are you aware that it is protected trademark and is a Johnson & Johnson product?
Well, like band-aid there are other products such as bubble-wrap, Xerox, Jacuzzi that are used as general terms by people. These are the name of the companies but people have started using them for the overall name of their service provided. Isn't it what you want for your brand?
2. Give your brand a definition
This is the most important step in brand building. You will have to determine what your brand stands for. While doing so, you must make sure to include your core strengths. You must bring out your brand values.
Look at the way Amul has built trust among people and today is a household name! Every home in India has an Amul product. The brand produces milk, butter and several other dairy products. It creates unique advantage to customers by offering several choices in its products and more importantly, it is now got synonymous to quality.
3. Promote your brand
Expose your brand to people.
If you wish that your brand reaches the pinnacle, you will first have to work at the ground level. Make sure to reinforce your values and skills by taking up different assignments and roles that will give you more exposure.
You definitely need to use social media handles such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc Effectively! There are other channels such as blogs and forums to reach out to more people.
In addition to promoting your brand, try and understand what people know, think or say about your brand. It is imperative that you interact with your customers. The more you interact with your customers and engage with them the more your brand will be loved by them.
4. Understand the Market
If you wish to be successful then you must personalize your brand as per the Market needs. It is important for you to earn the attention and love of your customers for a lifetime. They must be able to identify your brand just like they do to their favourite laptop, mobile, etc.
The more localize you become, the better it is for your brand to get recognized, thereby increasing in sales.
Burger King started with specialty of Beef Burgers in America but when they came to India they understood that Cows are holy and they have to localize and change their menu. They changed and people started accepting the Brand. They have different menus in different countries which are focused on the local taste.
5. Review your brand
There’s no doubt that your brand will grow in due course of time. However, it is your brand building strategies that will make a difference.
Remember, with changing times, your brand will also undergo several changes. There may be challenges as well as opportunities that will either make or break your brand. If you really wish to survive in the market then you will have to take charge of your branding strategies and meet the demands of the situation.
Regular reviewing will steer your brand in the right direction and keep it relevant with changing times.
Another benefit of reviewing is that it will help you stay true to your vision and brand strategy.
There are three popular brands;
Service brand
This is built on knowledge, culture, and experience that a brand has with the service delivering agency or company or even people. For instance, Tata, Colgate,Amul, etc. All these brands have come a long way and are well known for their high quality products and customer service.
Retail brand
This brand is usually associated with a combination of products and exceptional service experience. For instance, MacDonald's. The brand has everything to offer. It has several outlets and offers high quality service to its customers.
Product brand
This brand is built on the experience that one has with a specific product. For instance Adidas, Nike, Maruti etc. When you think of buying a car in India, Maruti wins most of the times. People are aware about their customer service, the quality of the product and benefits Maruti offers.
To conclude, it can be said that brand building is an evolving process. You need to define, differentiate and review your brand regularly if you wish to stay ahead of your competitors.
You have to be clear about your branding strategies and about the ways you will implement them. Last but not the least, you must adopt strategies that will add value to your customers and associate with them for lifelong.