Did you know that Xerox was a brand that made photocopy machines? Band-Aid is a company that makes adhesive bandages. Velcro is another company specializing in hook-and-loop fasteners. Can you connect the dots? These are well-established brands synonymous with their products, and every brand wants to achieve this stature.
But how to do so? What exactly propels a company to such a level? Don’t worry, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, just do a few things correctly. Let us look at what successful brands do so well and what you need to do to create a similar identity, with insights from Josh Webber.
A Brand’s Power Lies in Its Consistency
All popular brands are more than just logos; they invoke a gut feeling and generate an emotional connection with their consumers. This gut feeling stems from the consistent messaging and service of the brand. For instance, Apple delivers a seamless tech experience with all its products consistent with the messaging in its brand videos and posters. Similarly, Amazon assures the fastest delivery time in all its regions, so whenever consumers want to order something online, they first visit Amazon’s website.
Ask yourself - What is the perception of your ideal customer when they hear about my product or service? Is there anything the customer feels or thinks of when they hear about my brand? Apple makes the best smartphones, Amazon delivers everything everywhere, and these are brand identities marked in their ads and services. You can apply the same strategy for your brand, but first, find that emotion or invoke an action that becomes synonymous with your brand. Trigger those emotions in your marketing, in-store experiences, and other branding initiatives.
In short, building a solid brand means understanding how people see you and staying consistent across every touchpoint. Brands that adapt to consumer expectations can create a lasting impression.
Stand Out, Don’t Blend In: The Only Way to Defeat Established Brands
Every new company faces one constant challenge – going up against a well-established brand that dominates the market with its service and commands consumer trust. So, how do you tackle them and have your voice heard? By promising the same service and pricing to the audience? Absolutely not. Mimicking big brands is one of the biggest mistakes for a newcomer. Furthermore, you cannot challenge the marketing budget of established companies if you are an early-stage company. Instead, differentiate.
Conduct an honest assessment of your company’s strengths. Engage with the customers through surveys to identify your unique value proposition. Take those unique aspects and build a marketing strategy. Analyze both primary and secondary competitors. The primary are the ones who are your direct competitors, and the secondary are those who divert potential customers with niche solutions for particular problems. For example, a university seeking new student enrollments must consider local colleges, online learning platforms, and trade schools as part of its competitive set. Study the strategy of all these competitors to identify the gaps in the industry and position yourself accordingly.
Think about this: there are hundreds of burger outlets, but does McDonald’s claim to have the best burger? No, it promises a happy time with their meal and doubles down on it by naming an order with the same idea – Happy Meal. Similarly, you must find out what makes your company different and make it a defining characteristic.
Nurture Beyond The Purchase For Better Engagement
Remember the sales funnel? It has four layers: Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action. The problem with the funnel is that it follows a linear sales model, like a one-time transaction from initial awareness to closing the sale, and leaves no space for retaining the client. This is why it is time to evolve from the sales funnel to a flywheel model, where customers are nurtured beyond purchase to build relationships and leverage them to attract new prospects.
To implement this strategy, you must align three critical pillars: marketing or advertising that brings new leads, sales enablement efforts to optimize conversion rates, and consistent brand positioning. These elements will integrate into a seamless growth strategy focusing on long-term success and adapting to shifting market dynamics.
A key component of this flywheel model is creating automated touchpoints throughout the customer journey, ensuring timely follow-ups after inquiries or purchases through customer relationship management (CRM) systems. For example, when someone fills out a contact form on your website, they should receive an immediate acknowledgment email and relevant resources such as case studies or testimonials that reinforce trust in your brand before any direct interaction occurs with sales representatives.
So, to wrap it up, identify your unique attributes, develop consistent brand messaging, ensure digital efficiency for outbound leads, and nurture your audience beyond purchase. These are four steps to establish your brand and hack growth opportunities. Remember that growth takes time, so execute and analyze each step and let them take their time. As they say, slow and steady wins the race.
About the Speaker
Josh Webber is the Co-Founder and CEO of Big Red Jelly, a marketing agency that focuses on innovative ideas, personalized tactics, and quick execution. Previously, Josh was a Market Research Assistant at Idea Booth, another marketing agency specializing in social media marketing and digital media advertising for the US food industry.
Watch his full keynote here.
