How to improve brand esteem for your stakeholders.
How to
Above | Hero brochure from La Storia campaign with Italian-inspired illustrations by Julianna Brion
Stand still for too long, and your brand becomes stagnant. Remaining relevant to your stakeholders is about understanding the gaps in a crowded market and learning how to fill them in unique ways.
Improve your perceived difference
The power of differentiation.
If you follow the herd, you’ll always be part of the herd. So, what are you doing that’s different to the masses? It doesn’t have to be a unique product; it can be a comprehensive positioning strategy against your competitors or even a more successful way of delivering the same product. Innovation and differentiation go hand-in-hand. For better brand success, it’s essential to be bold and take a calculated approach, guided by research and data that provides the best possible chance of succeeding.
Overcoming the identity crisis.
Struggling with brand identity is a natural part of the business-building journey. And with so much competition in the marketplace, creating a brand strategy that helps you stand out from the crowd can be overwhelming. It’s, therefore, essential to take control and positive action to define your brand and organisation. Because the reality is, if you don’t, you risk the industry defining you. Brand success is about being in control. Here are some strategies that you can utilise to help differentiate your brand.
Essentials to consider
Be the brand people want to be part of.
Attracting the best possible talent for your team is at the core of every successful brand’s story. Plan your hiring process ahead of time rather than act hastily to find a ‘they’ll do’ type of employee. Understanding what today’s talent looks for in an employer is key to your ability to find great people. By creating an inclusive and positive work culture with a clear brand vision, you’ll be off to the best possible start to attract people who want to work with you, making building your business even easier.
Always ask questions.
Rules are made to be broken, but you must know them first. The businesses that are in a solid position to succeed in the long term are the ones with a simple belief: great brands genuinely believe that their industry’s best practices are yet to be realised. They are primed and ready to be the ones who set the pace. Curiosity is a beautiful thing, and by asking questions about better ways of doing things and investing time and effort into finding the best possible answers, you’re on track to choosing a positive way to establish your brand as something different in the market.
Value is everything.
Focussing on providing genuine value to your clients and customers should never go out of style. For your target audience to switch to your products from a similar product they already know, like, and trust requires you to be seen as substantially more valuable. To achieve that lofty goal, it’s critical to be committed to providing brilliant customer service, excellent quality products and services, and real value that connects with your clients and customers. By understanding what they genuinely need, you’re taking the first step towards understanding how to provide it. And remember, it’s not always about the sell; focusing on delivering value to the market will set a precedent for future brand success.
Always keep your brand evolving.
Stand still for too long, and your brand becomes stagnant. Staying relevant and open to evolution is not about continually chopping and changing your offering. Instead, it’s about understanding the gaps in a crowded market and learning how to fill them in an attractive and helpful way. Technology and changing attitudes all play a part in the way products and services are relied on. Investing in forecasting and analysis that explores the needs of your target audience will help you uncover that sweet spot that enables you to stand out from the pack.