When Steve Jobs unveiled Apple computers at a computer trade show, he was starting a brand revolution that business leaders struggle to emulate today. His tireless effort to brand his products as stylish and beautiful have given Apple a kind of cult-fashion status that others try to emulate but few can match. Even the company’s most recent legal battles with Samsung have shown that innovation and following the leader are almost the same.
Brands like Apple, Starbucks and Amazon compete for consumer attention and only achieve sales success through aggressive promotional efforts aimed at creating an identifiable image for the brand. We don’t think of Jeff Bezos or Steve Jobs, we think of Kindles and iPads.
Define What Sets You Apart
Your company’s approach to the customer is a large part of what sets you apart from competition. How you serve them, the packaging you use for your products and whether you offer free shipping or discounts all factor in to how you are perceived. What do consumers in your market expect? Are they looking for great deals, or quality products? Companies like Warby Parker are disrupting old industries asking why it’s not possible to offer a quality product at a reasonable price.
Offer too many discounts and you might get business, but sacrifice your image of quality. There is definitely a flip side to your image that affects how others perceive you. Neglect things like product reviews, and respond negatively to criticism and expect to get shot down in the social sphere. Ostracizing a company through Facebook or Twitter has far-reaching implications for your customer base. How will you maintain business when users don’t trust you?
Audit Marketing Materials
Entrepreneur Rich Gorman recommends that you thoroughly review your marketing materials for consistency across all of your platforms. You might be on top of your Facebook presence, and keep your site up to date, but your Twitter could be sending out automated tweets that no one is responding to. A little bit of love on that account will increase its value. For instance, find a thought leader in your industry (a popular blogger) and focus your efforts on trying to respond to and get a response from that person.
You may end up getting retweeted, the golden ticket to new followers, or you might land a spot on that person’s blog as a guest writer. Make sure you have a universal bio for all platforms, including guest posts you write, and that you share more than you put in.
Show Your Accomplishments
A badge from a well-known blog or review site has helped software makers sell applications, and you can show of your accomplishments too. A press release carries good SEO value and it’s helpful for announcing newsworthy stories you create around your community.
The Impact of Your Logo
Google famously changed the shades of blue on its logo dozens of times until the founders came across a shade that tested well. This tireless attention to something so small is part of what makes Google a house hold name. It’s this deliberate need to strengthen the company image that drives more business to the search giant.
Your logo isn’t just an empty gesture, it’s a huge part of your brand association. Who can see red without thinking of Coca Cola, or look at Yellow without thinking of the Lakers? You don’t need extensive testing to determine your logo’s effectiveness, but you can use data gathered from your users.
Google is infamous for utilizing empirical data to make conclusions about its users. It even offers a robust statistical program for websites called “Analytics” that records user data for review later. Your logo is just one aspect of your site’s impression on a user. Review your site’s analytics and check out the “Most Viewed” pages to see the kind of content your users gravitate towards.