Want to learn what brand journey is all about? Here’s an experiment to try next weekend when you have some free time. Walk into any “big box” store and just look at the brands that fill it up. Ask yourself how many of these brands are new and make a mental note of which ones have you never even heard before. Then look at the brands that everyone can recognize that inspire brand loyalty.
What separates brands into those that we remember and those that simply fade into the background every day? I’m willing to bet that one of the big differences is the journey the brand has gone through. So let’s look at how your journey to building a successful brand starts with a few key decisions.
the human factor
When it comes to developing a brand, one of the biggest tips I can give is that you have to humanize your brand. The 21st century is overrun with the idea that corporations are giant, soulless entities lacking creativity and compassion. Media has been batting this idea around that businesses are heartless and uncaring.
So if you want to challenge this stereotype and assert your brand as unique, then you are going to have to show the human side of your business. An easy technique to use is to incorporate the faces and personalities involved in your business into marketing campaigns. This will help to humanize your brand to be inspiring, connecting on a personal level.
develop emotional connections
An emotional connection with your audience will increase your bottom line. Just look at the boom in social media over the last decade. As we start to feel more and more isolated by technology, we are reaching out to make new connections and to reestablish old ones.
One way to craft a brand message is to appeal to those emotions that we all share by crafting the right brand story. Tell your customer base who you are and how you got to where you are. Every business and business owner has a story to tell. Share the story of your highs and lows, successes and setbacks, and people will gravitate towards your authentic voice.
start your journey
Your journey won’t be a successful one if your brand positioning doesn’t reach the right audience. Decide early on who your ideal client is and how you can best make an emotional connection with them. College students are targeted differently than retirees. If you think that your brand narrative will appeal to everyone with a “one-size-fits-all” story, then you are mistaken. Craft your brand to appeal to those you would really like to reach.
It is also important to remember that a branding journey is not a step-by-step process where you move from Point A to Point Z in a straight progression. Let your brand journey evolve as you engage with your audience and develop an inspiring connection.
Part of your brand journey will no doubt be generating an online presence to attract, engage and connect you with more people intrigued by your offerings. That starts with the right website. We’d love to chat with you about your site and your online branding efforts.