Before you start marketing your business or service, you need to understand what you are marketing – the brand’s message. This refers to the underlying value proposition of your brand. This needs to be inherently clear to customers – they don’t want to search for the reason they should purchase your item/service. What are you offering, and why is it a necessity?

Brand messaging is more complex than you initially think. Lots of businesses start out with brand messages that are sloppy, unclear and full of buzzwords that they think will capture attention. It takes more than that to create a message that sticks with people, that they can easily spread via conversations, and that excites them. Below are some surefire ways to clarify your brand message, and create a personality that resonates with your customers.

BRAND STRATEGY

When starting out, you want to create a brand strategy. This is a plan on how you, as a company, are differentiating and propositioning your brand. Some things that you can look at when coming up with your brand’s strategy are:

1. The marketplace. You should be looking at competitors in the same landscape as your business or service, understand what their messages are, and developing your own unique proposition – how are you different? Why should people come to you? What does your brand offer that you can’t get elsewhere?
2. The customers. The point of a brand message is to resonate with the customer. You want to make a connection to them, understand their needs and position yourself as the solution. How can you help them? To do this piece well, it’s helpful to not only think like your prime customer, but to actually talk to some of them. Do some market research – ask them what they like about your product/service and why they keep coming back. Listen to what keywords people use to describe your brand. This will help you better cultivate your message to the customer (because it is coming from the customer!)
3. The staff. Many companies miss this step. While customer input is important, it is also important to understand what your staff see as your value proposition. What resonates with them? What is the ‘selling point’ for the brand when promoting it?

CORE MESSAGE

Your core message should be a promise to your customers – what you can offer them. This will be a result of your research above. You want to relate to the customer, verbalize your vision, and indicate what your goal is as a company. Take a note from Apple (‘Think Different’) or Subway (‘Eat Fresh’); in a short quip these companies are able to tell an audience how their product is different, why you need it and what they do as a whole. It’s a challenge, so take your time!

PERSONALITY

Creating your brand message also means identifying your personality. How are you going to communicate to the audience? What tone do you use in your marketing and across your website? What are your voice and style? All of these things will help back up that core message and get the ultimate purpose of your company across to the customer.

Taking the time to understand brand strategy, core message and personality will clarify your brand message and make you more approachable. It also makes your job easier! Once you have a solid brand message, you have a basis for all of your marketing material. Your brand message should be able to be easily communicated in all of you copy. Brand message gives your company direction. If you don’t have a clear, relatable brand message then get to work – this is a vital piece in creating a successful venture.

If you need help or would like to set up a consultation with Cascade Digital Marketing, please contact us below.