Why a smart marketing campaign and clever graphics, won’t guarantee a loyal following

What guarantees that customers won’t desert you in favour of the competition?

Is there a secret ingredient which is frequently overlooked by many Marketing Departments?

To find out what it is, let’s step into the shoes of a consumer. Imagine you are thinking of making an important purchase or investment for your home. You’ve been persuaded by the slick TV ad backed up by the great website, stunning brochure and clever slogan. You’ve weighed everything up, you’ve checked out the competition and now you’re 100% convinced to proceed. You’re good to go.

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Discover why a well defined brand will attract the right customers

When you think about a brand, one thing you need to consider is positioning. What do I mean by positioning? Positioning is where your business sits amongst the competition. And where your customers are looking.

Ask yourself this – what does your business or brand aspire to? Who are your customers and what are they looking for? Does your brand sit amongst the budget, mid range or luxury markets for instance, i.e. cheap and cheerful, affordable quality or shameless exclusivity?

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During the lifetime of your business (from inception to global domination) the brand may go through several modifications.  Its first incarnation was probably hurriedly sketched out along with an inexpensive set of business cards. That was probably long before you ever heard of the term ‘Branding’.

However, as your business grows you may decide to take a closer look at branding.  And the more customers you acquire the more sensitive you could become about your own brand and what messages it’s delivering.  This is when many companies move into the realms of Aspirational brands.

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How important is branding to your business? Does your brand work for or against you? Are you unwittingly turning prospective clients off by sending out confusing messages?

Picture the following three scenarios:

1. A leadership coach talking about the importance of communication. Her audience are distracted (and ever so slightly irritated) by the collection of jangling bracelets that rattle every time she waves her arms. They are not paying attention to anything she is saying.
2. The nutritionist stressing the importance of a healthy diet – except she looks so unwell, she could do with a big plate of steak and chips
3. The compliance specialist who talks eloquently about his services, but his PowerPoint Slides look unprofessional and his business cards look home made.

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