With 18 years rich experience in advertising, Manoj Kumar heads Dot n Pixel, which is an award-winning creative agency serving various corporate, industries, schools, colleges & MNCs like Asian Paints, Bikanervala, Johnson & Johnson, Bacardi, SRM University, USAID, KK Modi, London Mart, Neoteric Constructions, Milan Infrastructure, Sara International and many more. Dot n Pixel’s expertise includes areas such as, branding, packaging design, digital marketing, photography, corporate video production, brand strategy and communication design, to name a few.
When it comes to branding, Entrepreneurs and startups put a lot of emphasis on logo and tagline, which is important, but you have to understand that a logo is just the symbol of the product however brand equates to public perception.
A silent product, no matter how great it is, cannot survive unless it is able to differentiate itself from the rest of the crowd. Building a brand identity for your product or service is an essential part of any business plan. An effective and distinct brand strategy will help you build a business identity.
Here are 5 important things for effective branding:
1. Messaging: Messaging should be one of your first deliverables while planning for brand design. Well-defined messaging will represent your product or service to your target customer and differentiate you from the competition in a very clear and concise manner. A primary feature of any product is its usefulness towards the people and your message should be able to convey just that. Determine where it would be most worthwhile to focus and put it in the open.
2. Focus on Your Target Audience: Identify and focus your effort on your target audience to trim out your potential customers. You must take actions in advance to stabilize and formulate your business for repetitive sales by actively processing feedbacks and reviews. Carrying out research is also essential. Researching what other competitor brands do can give you creative and strategic insights to help you set yourself apart from the crowd. This helps you learn how your audience responds to specific business tactics and keeps you ahead of your competitors. Be inspired but don’t copy when setting yourself apart from the crowd of competitors.
3. Be Consistent: “Effective promotion always starts with consistency” To increase brand awareness and confidence, your branding efforts must carry throughout all of your business efforts, including both marketing and sales. Continuously producing and promoting quality content and customer outreach is critical in brand development. Processing feedback and reviews can make your customers mini-marketers by recommending others from their positive experiences. This process helps in identifying potential customers and maintaining them.
4. Brand Standardization is Essential for Business Growth: Exponential growth is the target of every business management. It is not an individual’s perseverance but a group effort comprising of multiple talented individuals who are diligent in their efforts. Empower your team by enrolling them in your brand’s larger mission. Set specific standards about how your brand looks and talks. Introduce new branding tools to team members and empower them to achieve and grow your brand strategy.
5. Spend the Money on Quality Pieces: Brand design, logo, profile, website, and all the first touch pieces should be effectively designed to make a great first impression. Your branding will tell your customers and potential customers who you are from sight recognition. Hire a designer who understands your brand and is willing to put genuine effort into bringing your brand to life. Create a branding persona that can help define the personality and character that you want your target customers to associate with your business.