Is your brand easy to recognize and do people know it when they see it?
Part of the reason a brand never catches on is because there’s no testing in front of a target audience. Instead, business owners just put together what they like, with colors, shapes, words that sound like a good idea.
But there should be a strategy to reach the target and drive them to buy the product.
You’re not your target. Step back from your brand and ask a prospective client.
Don’t ask your friends. They’re going to be nice and tell you that it’s fine. You don’t want fine, you want memorable. You want the best for sales.
Your brand is a visual, a product or service, and it means something. It should be clean, clear and clever.
Don’t know what a brand should look like? Go to any grocery store and look at the biggest brands.
What do you notice about them?
What colors do you see?
How many words are in the brand names?
Field Trip
1. The Mall: Walk up and down the mall. Look at the signage and look in picture windows. What stands out about the
brands you see?
2. The Grocery Store: What jumps off the shelf and out of the aisles at you? Why?
3. Television: What commercials do you like and keep watching? Why?
4. The Gym: What are people wearing? Is there a trend? Is there one item that everyone wears?
5. The Airport: What big brands found their place in ports to greet visitors around the country? How do they invite people in?
6. Times Square: What’s the first brand you see and why? Then, take a count of how many brands there are. What brand doesn’t stand out? Why not?
7. Friends’ Homes: Do you see a common brand in everyone’s home you visit? What is it and where is it? Why does EVERYONE have it?
8. Kids: Ask a child his or her thoughts about your brand. Describe what you do or what your business does. Do they understand it? You’ll be astounded at their insights.
9. Co-Workers: Ask someone who keeps to themself and ask someone who can’t keep to themself what their favorite brands are and why.
10. Clients: What do your clients think you do well and what you can improve?
Research your competition and see what they’re doing well and what they’re doing not so well.
FYI: If you’re making chocolate chip cookies and selling them at the farmer’s market, Mrs. Fields is NOT your competition. Your competition is the other person selling cookies for a longer amount of time, at a better price, in larger volume at the market.
Test: Run your brand past anyone but friends and family. They have to like your work. Walk it around in public. Take it everywhere and ask people within your target audience what they think.
Get some perspective on the marketplace, your competition, your brand. You have to be able to compete, compel and convince consumers that your brand is the best choice.
