What do you do when there is so much chaos around you?
How can you be seen and heard?
Are you doing something to stand out from the rest of the crowd?
These are questions that might be swirling in your mind when faced with challenges in your brand or business. With the right corporate branding strategy, you can certainly chart a path that shoots you to epic heights.
Towards a Brighter Future
At one point or another, you will be faced with concerns regarding your brand or business, regardless of the industry you are in. It is no mystery how every day, there is a new enterprise much like yours popping up in a different corner of the world. The world can be too small at times, and when this happens, how do you elevate your brand and emerge victorious amidst all the competition?
First, it will be so much better if you have a reputable and reliable team of brand and communication experts at your side. Working with an expert communication agency will prove to be advantageous to your business since this is a group of specialists who can help you discern what you need. With their in-depth knowledge and breadth of experience, you can rely on them to guide you toward success.
Aside from choosing a trustworthy and dependable ally, here are five easy steps that can help you set yourself apart from the competition:
1. Know Yourself
Who are you as a company? What does your brand stand for? What are your objectives?
You need to know who you are as a brand before you can expect people to recognize you. If you do not have a clear brand identity, then how will your consumers know you?
For you to be able to stand head and shoulders above your competitors, you must first identify the personality and character of your company. Your company’s identity must be clear to you so you can create the right strategy that will bolster your presence in the minds and hearts of your intended audience.
Knowing your objectives is also crucial because that dictates where you will go. Your mission and vision will be your guide towards crafting clear messages that will differentiate you from your competitors.
2. Know Your Strengths
It cannot be avoided that there will be several businesses of the same kind. Such is the nature of entrepreneurship. In a way, it will also help you to stay on your toes and always strive for excellence.
In an oversaturated market of similar businesses, you can stand out by knowing your strengths. Once you know what you are good at, then you can work towards being an expert in that field. For example, if you own a pie shop, you can choose to master baking cinnamon walnut pies rather than simply offering the usual apple pies that are available everywhere. If you are a craft store, you can master the skill of making leather goods instead of spreading yourself thin making various items.
3. Know Your Story
What prompted you to open your bike shop? How did your bookstore start? Who inspired you to go into creating wooden toys?
You can also capitalize on a great brand story to distinguish yourself from the rest. If you have a story to tell, then make sure you share it in a compelling manner that will reel in the interest of your audience. It must be told in an engaging manner that will remain in their subconscious and spur them to act positively towards your brand.
A well-versed and strategic communications team will be able to weave captivating content that is relevant to your market while still being consistent with your business and communication goals.
4. Know Your People
When you know who you are and you have a compelling story to tell, then you must also know who to tell your stories to. If you do not make an effort to learn who you should be selling to, then your messages may fall on deaf ears.
Make it a point to know who your target market is. Do not just stop at the demographics – knowing their age or gender is good, but it is not enough. Look at the psychographics. Learn what their purchase habits are. If you are a luxury car company, for instance, check where your target market goes to for leisure. Do they drive out of town on weekends? What malls do they prefer? How many of them prefer playing golf to sailing on their yachts
Knowing your market and how their mind works will lead you to design bespoke experiences and craft targeted messages that will let your brand shine brighter than others in your league.
5. Know Your Competitors
You do not move alone in your circle. You know you have competitors and that they too are doing something to catch the attention and patronage of your shared target market.
To combat this, you have to monitor what efforts they are making. You cannot move blindly in this race. You should be aware of what other players are doing so you can also strategize your next move. While you do not rely on competitor data to move forward in the game, it is important to know what you are going up against so you can be ready at all times.
Be it their above-the-line advertising, below-the-line activities, or social media presence, you need to keep your ears to the ground so you can be well-informed and well-equipped to make your move.
Competition is Healthy
Having too many competitors in the market may pose some challenges. You can choose to whine about it or you can choose to turn it into opportunities. Competition may not necessarily be a bad thing. In fact, it can be a perfect platform for you to make your brand stand out through enhancing your services or innovating your products to further satisfy your target market.
AUTHOR BIO
Stuart Harris is the Creative Director at Yellow, a Dubai branding agency, digital partner and advertising company working with progressive businesses to build bold, meaningful brands.