I recently attended a networking event that I only intended to drop in on for a few minutes before going to another meeting. I wanted to hear a speaker who was an old acquaintance.
When I got there, it turned out that I knew another of the speakers, who happened to be concluding her talk when I came in. This woman recognized me and came over to say hello to me and actually offer me an opportunity to speak for a couple of minutes about branding.
I was a bit unprepared to speak on the spot, but I recognized the unique opportunity that was being presented, so I quickly gathered a few thoughts together and stepped forward.
I felt some pressure to convey a short, but precise and valuable message about branding for a group of small business owners and professionals in such a short amount of time. During my brief talk, I encouraged the audience to think first and foremost about the 3 M’s when it came to developing and improving their business brands. These key points are a good place to begin when thinking about a brand strategy for your small business.
Right Market: Who are your customers?
It’s not enough to say “my business is for everyone” or “anybody can be my customer.” Consider what kinds of people are likely to be your repeat buyers and strongest advocates.
When it comes to your product or service, everyone may be able to use it, but who is it made for. Another way to think of this is “Whose problem is your product or service the solution for?” This is who you want to target with your brand awareness and marketing efforts.
Performing without an audience is just a rehearsal, not a show.
Right Message: What do you say?
Once you’ve identified your target client, how do you communicate with them? It’s important to remember that you are crafting content to be read, understood and
Craft a relatable and repeatable message that you can articulate in a clear way across multiple channels. Simplicity and clarity are your friends.
You must be wary of writing content that is too technical or full of insider jargon that will not be familiar to your audience.
Right Method/Media: How do you reach your audience?
As you think through who you are going to target with your brand awareness and marketing efforts (and dollars), you are ready for the final component, which is determining the vehicles you will use.
You can know where you want to go and what you want to do when you get there, but depending on the destination, you need the right vehicle. Method or media is that vehicle. In today’s media marketing landscape there are dozens of these vehicles, from time-tested like print ads and radio, to newer formats like podcasts and mobile apps. New media format
Consider things like whether your audience are readers or more visual? Do they rely on technology heavily or prefer more traditional methods of communication?
A smart marketer is examining the market for trends and also asking their current customers about their needs and wants. You must go where your audience is and speak to them in a way they will understand.
These three M’s don’t need to be thought of as occurring in a strictly linear process or in a particular order. The main thing is that each area is addressed. These three M’s set the table for three other M’s that we’ll address in an upcoming blog as they relate to brand management: Monitor, Measure and Modify.
Enthuse Creative takes a strategy-first approach to help businesses of all kinds create brands that resonate with their clients and customers. If you need help with your branding strategy, please contact us today for a no-cost/no-obligation consultation.