Brand management – can you afford to neglect it?
Brand management is where marketing stops and advertisers don’t go. The process of brand management includes developing, defining, positioning, delivering and maintaining a brand, giving it a personality and values, necessary for the snap decisions consumers make in deciding whether or not they ‘like’ a brand.
Professional designers and marketers can help with an integral aspect of brand management: consistency – in all communications, as well as in products and/or services. A strong and consistent brand builds credibility, and will provide a competitive advantage through differentiation from competitors, which in turn can result in improved turnover.
It is clear that traditional marketing is dying, and technology is playing a much bigger role in branding and marketing. Small businesses need more than ever to attract attention in the right way, and get their branding right the first time as a rebrand is expensive and confusing for customers.
People are turning to the internet to discover companies, but also for reviews and testimonials: being unknown is a business threat. Your business’ page rank in Google will impact your website traffic and conversions, so SEO is increasingly important. Then, your website will be judged on ease of navigation. Once business has been won, it is important to keep in touch through social media and e-newsletters with news and the occasional offer or discount.
Creating a brand is only the beginning of what should be a long-term relationship. Like any other relationship, it requires trust, honesty, communication and hard work to last. Openness, transparency and the desire for dialogue are positive signs for modern brands. Don’t be left behind.