Growing your business can be quite challenging, especially if you are operating in a highly fragmented market. Leveraging a strong brand identity can be a winning solution to set you apart from the competition and positioning your business on a growth trajectory. When it comes to investing in business development and tools to fuel business growth, many companies opt to invest in technology and/or extensive product development. However, research suggests a slightly different course of action.
In fact, marketing researchers have found that when a company has a strong brand, they are able to generate 23% more in revenues, when compared to companies that do not have consistent brand representation. With consumers being bombarded with thousands of marketing messages a week, being able to find a proven way to pique their attention, without having to invest large sums of money would be ideal. The experienced graphic designers and brand consultants at Snowball Creative Group have found that a strong brand identity is able to drive significant long-term business growth in these three ways:
Brand Familiarity Increases Sales. When customers are familiar with your brand, that breeds instant credibility and trust that can lead them to not only purchase from you again and again, but also refer you to others. In order for your customers to be able to consistently identify your brand, it is essential to keep your brand elements the same no matter the marketing platform you use. This means your logo, colors, fonts, spacings, even the tone of your marketing messages must be standardized to represent your brand. Research with branding graphics has shown that when you use vibrant colors such as orange, red, yellow, or blue, brand recognition can increase up to 80%. The key is to create an easily identifiable brand and stick with that winning recipe in all that you do.
Sets You Apart In the Industry. To drive sales, being different, having a unique value proposition is king. This should also extend to how you develop and market your brand. Having branding elements that are too similar to your competitors, or not appealing to your target audience will inevitably get lost in the marketing shuffle. However, identifying what sets you apart and making sure to clearly convey this in how you craft your branding can be the most effective way to carve out an unshakable competitive advantage. The important part is to determine what resonates with your audience and leverage those elements as much as possible. In fact, 64% of consumers say that they are more likely to trust a brand that shares their same values, ideas, and beliefs.
Make an Instant First Impression. When is the last time you saw a commercial, advertisement, maybe even a company’s social media post that instantly stuck with you? Perhaps it was the images used, the words, the overall brand story that was told? Either way, there was something that made that one message stand out from the crowd. That instant connection is what you want to achieve to grow your business. Tapping into the psychology of your target audience, considering what visuals they may be attracted to, what problems they want solved in their lives, or what lifestyles they live can all be great places to start as you build your brand. The most successful brands are able to seamlessly fit into their customers’ lives, enhance/improve their lives, so they become an integral part of who they are. The more effective you are at doing this, the easier it will be to attract new customers and the higher the ROI on your marketing efforts.
Branding is all about “creative storytelling” and when done right can be your secret weapon to dominate your industry. Whether you have an innovative product or service is irrelevant if you do not have a well-designed and strategic brand development plan in place. Over time, in any business, things will change and so as your business grows, your brand has to evolve along with it. If you have not analyzed your brand recently, particularly your brand elements such as your logo, brand guidelines, website, and marketing materials, then now is the time to do so. Leaving your branding to chance, is the quickest way to lose out on sales. Contact the professional and trusted brand graphics specialists at Snowball Creative Group today for a free in-depth brand consultation. Click here to schedule your appointment.
