Two Secrets to Successful Branding, Marketing, and Advertising

It doesn't matter if yours is a Fortune 100 company or a small mom and pop that's been around for generations, your company relies on positive brand recognition. All companies have a brand, whether they've created it themselves or not. Every experience your customers have with you and your products creates that brand in their minds. You can read more about branding marketing at www.martinlindstrom.com. If your brand isn't performing as well as it used to, it doesn't mean your company is doomed.

Companies can engage in rebranding efforts to help reestablish themselves in the market. For some companies, it's time to surrender the old brand and start from scratch. Other times, it's about tweaking what you've already got. Before you launch either type of rebranding campaign, here are two very important things to keep in mind.

Knowing your audience is the key to a strong brand. Brands are about selling products and services, but a lot of companies forget who they are supposed to be selling to. It's the consumer, not the ad guys or the competition, who need to understand and appreciate our brand. To that end, if your brand is struggling, the person to ask isn't an ad man but the person who isn't buying your products anymore. Find out more information about the best branding speakers. Talking to your customers can give you a better idea of what they're looking for. Once you know what motivates them, and what is most likely to reach them, you can devise a campaign that can do that.

Positive brand association is earned, not created. Many people associate marketing, and by extension branding, with dishonesty. To them, it's about tricking the consumer into thinking you're something you aren't, or that your products have a positive reputation they don't deserve. The truth is, the best and easiest way to associate those positive attributes with your brand is for your company to embody those traits. Be honest with your customers if you want them to think of you as honest. Admit to your mistakes and only make claims that are true. If you want to be associated with quality, provide a quality product.

A rebranding consultant can help you reinvigorate your brand or start from scratch, if necessary. Read more about the branding advisor to Fortune 100 Brands. Hiring a consultant directly is one way to do this. Some people choose to start by attending presentations on branding strategies. This gives you an easy way to learn about the business before you start looking for a consultant. Reading up on the subject is another good way to learn more before you begin in earnest.