Techno Logik®

BRANDING

Simply put, a brand is a symbol, a logo, a phrase, an image or a name that represents a company. But a brand in marketing is much more. Each day consumers are bombarded with visual and audio cues. These cues are usually from a company offering a product or a service. In order to distinguish themselves from competitors, these companies create brand names as a way to quickly identify themselves to consumers.

The average television or radio commercial only lasts 30 seconds. In this time, a company must sell a product, give information on where to find the product, and maybe demonstrate how a product will benefit the consumer’s life. This is a lot of information to pass on in just 30 seconds. By having a brand, the company can flash the logo or say the phrase that people recognize as theirs and save valuable selling time that can be used to explain their product.

The Internet has not made advertising any easier. In fact, it has made advertising more competitive. Companies now have even less time to grab consumer attention. Pop-up ads were very popular a few years ago because they were a fast and easy way to advertise. The window popped up and the brand was the first object that was seen. Then came the sales pitch. In ten seconds, the ad was over, but the brand name remained. Unfortunately, too many companies advertised this way and pop-ups became such a nuisance that users were employing pop-up blockers so that none of them were allowed.

Today, Internet advertising has to be more subtle but still capture consumer attention. This may seem contradictory, but it is true. Consumer loyalty is the number one way a company stays in business. Having a brand that is recognizable in a second or two is the key. But how does a small business owner capture a potential customers’ attention? This question has plagued business owners for years. But there are ways you can compete for business without spending lots of money.

A brand is the easiest way a small business can get off the ground. Branding will work for print media as well as on the Internet. When a company advertises, they should, at every available opportunity, instil in the consumers mind a picture of who the company is and what they stand for. This is what every advertisement agency in the world wants for their clients. This is why billions of dollars are spent each year on advertising and getting a company brands out there in the open.

Why Do You Need a Brand?

There are a few reasons why a brand is a necessary marketing tool for every business, big or small.

If a consumer buys a product or uses a service and is satisfied, they will return. Sometimes though, a consumer will forget the name of the service or product. This is especially true of small businesses in larger cities where there might be competition. When a company has a recognizable brand name for identification, one that is has a unique shape or color scheme, the consumer has a better chance of remembering it than a name. Also, the consumer can easily look for the logo on the Internet or in the phone book. They might also ask a friend if the logo sounds familiar. Brand name recognition is sometimes the only way a consumer will remember your company.

Since there is so much information on the Internet, it is often difficult for consumers to find the products and services they are looking for. Most consumers do not have time to research all the different companies in their area that offer the same or similar services. If your small business has a brand name that is distinguishable from the others, you will get more business. A recognizable brand name can be found easily and stand out on the Internet.

Another problem on the Internet is that too many companies who offer similar services also pick similar brand names. This can also be confusing to consumers. But by picking a brand name that is completely different from all competition, your company will stand out simply because other companies do not. A consumer who is in a hurry will choose a company that is easy to find and easy to deal with. Though customer satisfaction is the biggest concern for a company, the ability to be picked out of a crowd should be another.

To consumers, a brand is much more than a symbol or a fancy logo. A brand is a silent promise. By providing quality service, your brand will be identified with that quality. When consumers see your logo, they will probably not look anywhere else for the product or service. Having a brand name people trust will pay for itself a million times over. Psychologically, the consumer will be at ease and will return if the product or service was performed to their satisfaction when they see your brand.

What Is Consumer Recognition?

When a consumer sees your brand name, they will think back to the product or service you provided and perhaps smile. This means that your brand name reminded them of your business and hopefully, persuaded them to use your services again in the future. Many times consumers will tell others about their experiences. They may describe your brand name so that others will be able to find you on the Internet or in the phone book. This is why consumer recognition is vital to any marketing campaign.

Use consumer recognition to your advantage. Display your logo or symbol on your web page a few times. Visual recognition is perhaps the most powerful tool in marketing today. Since consumers are so busy, they cannot take the time to read everything about your services. But if a friend recommends your business and they look at your web page, they may only see your logo and the first two or three headings on your page. This is not to say that a web page is a waste of money, but for most consumers, a logo and contact information are all they are going to want when they view the web site.

Again, this goes back to the amount of time you have to advertise your services. By having a brand that is simple and that demonstrates something special about your company you will draw more attention than a lengthy web page explaining your product or service.

Our brand managers and social networkers work with you on a complete branding strategy that gets your story told in all the right places, including social networks like MySpace, Squidoo & FaceBook, in the blogosphere and its Bookmarking sites like Digg and Del.icio.us, and in social media outlets YouTube and BlogTalkRadio.