Have you noticed an uptick in messages about self-love and acceptance these days? You know, the messages encouraging you to embrace who you are and what makes you different; to really own it. It’s a nice way of saying quit trying to be someone you’re not! In marketing, as we continue to work on personifying brands, it’s not a stretch to carry over that mentality.
Are you owning your brand or struggling in the identity department? Let’s do a little self-diagnosis.
Here are three signs you have a brand identity problem:
Your answer to “What do you stand for?” changes depending on who is asking.
You make marketing decisions based on what’s trendy rather than brand strategy.
You have a lukewarm relationship with your target audience.
If any of these questions strike a chord, it’s time to go back to basics with your brand. It’s not an insult or a sign of weakness; major brands regularly revisit their strategy to evaluate and adjust for maximum effect. This will get you back on track and ahead of those who are too proud to admit they have a problem.
There are many more elements to building up a wow factor, but these are the ingredients for a strong foundation.
Brands, like people, grow and develop over time. They need constant assessment to understand what they stand for over the years or else they will become outdated and unrelatable.
- Be sure of your values and target audience, and be mindful of just how those two things overlap.
- Understand the needs of your audience and how they wish to be reached.
- Present yourself consistently in terms of messaging and frequency.
Make your Marque
What happens when you get to the point where you own your brand? You aren’t hiding behind anything and you aren’t trying to imitate others. You are no longer worried about pleasing every person on the planet, because you know that is just not going to happen. (Really, it’s not.) Instead, you know that by owning your brand, you’ll attract people that value what you value.
