In this article we mainly address branding tactics, but we also look at the importance of brand strategy. So, before we start, we need to be clear that we understand the difference between the two. <\/p>\n
In a nutshell, your brand strategy<\/a>, or branding strategy if you prefer, sets out your long term plan to make your branding goals.<\/p>\n These will be multi-faceted and include: developing brand awareness, creating a media presence, improving customer experience, developing a competitive advantage, improving your financial performance, along with more specific aims such as strategic enhancements to your online image, advertising<\/a>, and motivating your employees. <\/p>\n Your branding tactics<\/strong> are the specific actions you take across all your platforms to get there. They are much more than making an appealing logo<\/a> that differentiates you from your competitors. So, let’s dive in, get creative, and elucidate with a few examples. <\/p>\n As we have indicated, branding tactics<\/strong> are the actions you take to accomplish your business goals and strategy. While there are similarities between branding tactics<\/strong> and marketing tactics, they are essentially different exercises. <\/p>\n Marketing tactics are the actions you take to market your products and services, such as how you interact with your target audience and encourage them to make a purchase. Branding tactics<\/strong> shape your brand to create a permanent positive impression on your customers. <\/p>\n The concept that the message is in the media has not gone away. To be more specific, here are some examples of branding tactics<\/strong> relevant to many different types of small business, brands, and industries. <\/p>\n Today’s business environment is substantially different from the earlier days of digital marketing when small businesses decided what they wanted to sell and would attempt to persuade their customers to buy it. <\/p>\n Now the focus is customer-centric, where customer experience is prime. But who are your potential customers, and what motivates them in the marketplace? The first step in building a brand<\/a> is finding out all you possibly can about your target audience by performing target audience analysis<\/a>. <\/p>\n Your brand should differentiate your business from the competition, including your main competitor. All major successful businesses have a readily identifiable brand, a world image determined by many different elements. <\/p>\n These include a logo that reflects their unique business<\/a>, the graphics on their documents and websites, colour schemes, and fonts. These should be consistent across all media, including your blog. A good tactic is to develop a style guide that will ensure these remain consistent across all channels. <\/p>\n Setting an appropriate brand voice, tone<\/a> and story to present<\/a> to your clients will help you build relationships with your customers and create media content they want to engage with. Ideally, you should make them feel at home, respected and not patronised across all the created media you employ. Your website blog is always a good way of getting your story across. <\/p>\n Your brand recognition<\/strong> is the most important way of maintaining customer loyalty. Customers enjoy and benefit from being rewarded in ways that keep them coming back.<\/p>\n A great example is Starbucks, a world leader in developing a loyal customer base. Starbucks Rewards has over 19 million members and generates almost half the company’s revenue<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you run a small business with a reasonable income, why should you bother about brands and branding tactics<\/strong>? <\/p>\n Don’t they get in the way and take too much of your precious time? After all, branding is for the big; small businesses don’t need to bother. But, unfortunately, while you might well get away with that attitude in the short term, your future is likely to be uncertain. <\/p>\n A great example of why you should care about branding is Jeff Bezos, who famously said<\/a>, <\/p>\n A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWhat Are Branding Tactics?<\/h2>\n
Research Your Target Audience<\/h3>\n
Branding Identity and Standards<\/h3>\n
Setting a Brand Voice and Story<\/h3>\n
Engage and Reward Your Customers<\/h3>\n
Why Should a Business Care About Branding Tactics?<\/h2>\n
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