As a brand consultant for companies, I know for a fact how important branding is. The important thing in branding is that it is an opportunity to create your company’s personality and make a closer connection with your customers. The key to strong fashion branding is through differentiating your brand from the rest of the competition. In simpler terms, “TO STAND OUT” with a unique selling point and story.
People will argue that its just all about the logo. No, it is more than just a logo. Contrary to popular belief, branding encompasses much more than your logo and packaging. The total sum of everything your company represents is your branding. From your brand name, designs, way of communication, to your core values and business model types.
Here’s 7 ways on how to stand out:
1. CREATE YOUR OWN TRENDS, DON’T FOLLOW THEM – The most common rookie mistakes for startup brands is that they try to replicate their competition. Rather than doing that, develop something your customers have not seen from anyone else in the market. It could be a specific product, service, value, buying experience or point of view that feels different and refreshing. By creating something unique, customers have no choice but to come to your for that point of difference.
2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT – You’re most likely going to gain the respect and loyalty from people who share the views that your brand has while helping develop a strong brand identity. Experiment on a new design technique, a new type of cut, a different way of labeling or print or a bold company statement!
3. PUT YOUR BRAND MESSAGE ON REPEAT – Your brand’s message and values should be clear and be all over the place consistently to build a sense of predictability. This is the only time your brand should be predictable, when you’re trying to get your brand message across your budding audience. Customers tend to be more loyal to a brand that they feel is reliable and consistent.
4. PLEASE YOURSELF, NOT EVERYONE – When you try to please everybody, you’re going to be BORING! Your brand will also be forgotten quickly. Do this instead: Focus on delivering to your CORE customers, ensuring that they will remember you instead.
5. BE SINCERE IN YOUR MESSAGING – Show your true personality by being sincere to your customers. By being you, you’re build an authentic brand. When you mention topics closely related to your target market or shared common problems for example. It creates a level of trust which then turns to sales. This one take time to develop but it does forge stronger relationships with your target market in the long run. Remember, this is a marathon, not a race.
6. BE VISIBLE WHERE YOU THINK YOU SHOULD BE VISIBLE – Why is this important? It’s promoting your brand and increases recall at the same time. Whether it’s from traditional media advertisements, digital media, social media or by getting involved in fashion gatherings, you want to be there you want to be seen. I said that because if your brand is trying to capture let’s say a Tier A market, you don’t want to be showing ads on a tabloid or a noontime show, right? You want to be in an A Market Magazine or media house that caters to your market.
7. SURPASS ALL EXPECTATION – Deliver more than what you promised to deliver. That’s how you exceed all expectations. Never stop adding value to your products or services. When you do that, they will be repeat customers and it’s going to increase your chances of positive feedback from the community. And remember, feedback, testimonials and reviews are vital to any type of business. Do not disregard those ever, good or bad, especially the bad ones. They will help you get even better.
Consider these 7 procedures to developing a strong branding:
1. Create your brand’s core values (find how to create yours in my business blogs)
2. Write down unique selling points, features and benefits of your brand
3. Create the top 10 different character types of your target customers
4. Know your top 10 competitors
5. Draw your brand identity visually
6. Set a tonal voice for your brand
7. Make reinforcements to your brand’s core values
Question of the day: What’s your future/current brand name?
February 8, 2021 Author James Santos
Unique Brand identity- A brand identity is a mirror that what your brand wants to say, what your brand promises to customers in the market place, what makes your product memorable in the audience’s mind. Brand identity includes competitor technique research, a unique logo, and how you can differentiate your product into related industry.
February 8, 2021 Author James Santos
Try own strategy- If you’re selling the same products or services which are already in the market, do not copy your competitor just research what steps they are taking to grow and how can you make an impact in the customer’s mind then plan it with your own strategy that will make your brand stand out.
February 8, 2021 Author James Santos
Make it personal- Just think like a customer, ask these question that Is my brand solving a problem that customer is facing, why I will go for that brand, what makes me different than other, it can be the price, services you offer, customer satisfaction, etc
February 8, 2021 Author James Santos
Be ready for the latest trend- There are constant changes in the market place, You have to prepare your brand with the latest trends and technology so that you can compete with your competitor first and make your brand stand out fast.
February 8, 2021 Author James Santos
Consistency & Result oriented- While you are selling a product or provide a service, your consistency, and your result matter a lot. Be consistent to make your customers feel satisfied. This is the way to make your brand memorable in your customer mind.
I hope this will help you.
February 8, 2021 Author Anton
All strong brands are unique by that meaning they have no substitute. You may not like some them but you can not deny that they are unique and that they attract particular kind of customer. When people see you as unique and are attracted to you price is no longer an issue.
February 8, 2021 Author Nico
Branding is not meant for creating unique brands — it’s meant for creating powerful, magnetic personalities customers love. But in order to do so you need a clear vision of what need to be fixed in the current mechanism so that it starts working like a charm.
You can find uniqueness anywhere — from being a family company, to unique ingredients, to offering unique style and design, to any other aspect that might be used to attract more clients. But all those insights are based on values. On what’s really important to you. And i mean not kind-of-important but TRULY important. Because brand is a promise made and kept and you have to be truly passionate about something to deliver it outstandingly good — without a compromise!
February 8, 2021 Author Genesis
A brand is nothing but people’s perception of a product which is unique to it. Most brands today aim for uniqueness in desirable and frill qualities missing out developing the mandatory offerings of a product and thus deviating into a pool of products that confuse people with too many things to offer. Hence in a time like today when most of the brands are fighting to establish points of differences I as a consumer will vote up for a brand that fights to convert a point of parity into a point of difference it self by providing core benefits of the highest grade.
February 8, 2021 Author Edward
That depends on what you can do best, and what your resources allow you to do.
Here’s what I recommend though:
Sidestep the Competition – by that I don’t mean stay away from competition, but don’t try to compete nationally, where the competition is fierce and loaded with money to market.
If your product or service allows, I say go hyper-local and be seen in your local market as best as you can. By “local,” I mean your city, several cities or your state. Meet ups, tradeshows, lunch and learns, networking groups, local groups and associations, etc.
You should still use the internet to grow your internet presence, but think of ways to build your brand locally first, and that will act as a catalyst to making your brand standout on a bigger scale.
February 8, 2021 Author Edward
Study your Competition – one thing I’ve learned over the last decade in marketing, is that we don’t know what we don’t know until we realize we didn’t know. So we make a lot of mistakes or waste a lot of time trying to figure things out on our own or read about them.
It’s best to find out who your competition is and study what they’re doing. The competitors that are “killing it.”
Use the tons of cash they’ve spent to market themselves to your advantage by learning what they do, how they do it, who they do it with, etc. Then use that as inspiration and ideas to build your brand.
February 8, 2021 Author Edward
Be Obsessed with your Web Presence – everyone talks about social media these days, but not many talk about the internet in general. It’s good to be seen on many channels. Not just social media. And it takes a lot (understatement) of time dedicated to putting yourself out there to start reaping the results.
many hours of providing value to people on the internet in a way that will get you seen by the people who need to see you.
February 8, 2021 Author Edward
Blogging is another good way to do that. But it takes a ton of time, persistence and discipline to maintain a blog and get people reading it. Being able to present blog posts in a way that doesn’t seem like the same rehashed content already flooding the net is needed these days.
I also recommend blogging as a way to prove knowledge and authority on a subject, but not necessarily to build a brand.
February 8, 2021 Author Carlo
Be honest & know the feature of your business
If you stopped your services what would your customers miss the most about your services? This will help you to create a unique brand from others.
Be honest with your customers because it will create a strong foundation with others.
February 8, 2021 Author Jim
Do you are passionate about and do competitor analysis
Do something you are passionate about. Once you found your interest now you can easily define your personal brand. Competitor analysis helps you to develop your personal brand. Follow the experts in your industry and read the blogs related to your business.
February 8, 2021 Author Dwayne
First, it’s great that you are thinking about how to make your brand different. If it’s in an ocean of competitors, it is very easy to get lost.
Every brand has to start with a “core” identity. Just like you, as a person, are different than every other person on the planet, your brand needs to follow. Identify its benefits, how it is unique from others and what you offer that your competitors don’t. Find what that one thing is that sets you apart from the crowd.
When you find your core, everything else will follow. Your products and services, colours of your logo, slogans and the target market you focus on. As long as you continue to project that core identity, you will find that you constantly remain ahead of your competitors.
February 8, 2021 Author Jerome
In the most simplistic manner, being memorable!
Competition abounds in virtually every market that has the potential to be profitable. The objective for any brand is that when their specific niche or market is discussed, their company is one of the first that are associated in the minds of their potential customer.
Unique is interesting, but driving sales and revenue is the objective. Being memorable provides a platform that allows a brand to be built upon!
February 8, 2021 Author Dwayne
The purpose of branding is to make something unique. So, if you have a good branding, you’re unique. Branding includes strategy, design, photography, copy writing, product styling, collateral, website and so much more. All these put together (in a cohesive and professional way) make your brand unique.
February 8, 2021 Author Joseph Santos
“An old Scandinavian proverb says you will never become a leader by following another leader’s track in the snow”.
Sensorial marketing experiences are important because it might be the only way customers secure real competitive advantages. It awakes the senses while activating memories, emotions, feelings and images and thoughts.