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Friday, December 26, 2014

Practical Principles Of Product Branding Strategies

By Stacey Burt


Today's business world is very competitive and only allows those who take steps to stay ahead of the competition to survive. Good product branding strategies enable a business to stay ahead of others in the competition. The term "product branding" usually describes what is produced or service the company wants to communicate and for whom this communication is intended. It also considers when this communication is supposed to get to the target of communication and how this is supposed to be done.

The structure of product branding communication must be consistent all the time, whether for internal or external audiences. Consistency gives employees of the business a better understanding of the brand being projected. Customers would also be able to identify the message with the brand because of the consistency in its structure.

Most consumers choose specific products over others based on feelings or emotions. A message about the barand should therefore appeal to the feelings of customers if it has to be successful. It is important for customers to be able to identify emotionally with the branding message to be able to buy into it.

Everybody likes to be appreciated, and so do customers, especially when they have stuck with the brand for a while. These customers have spent a considerable amount of time with the product and have also helped market it in terms of recommending it to their friends and family. Giving such customers little thank-you presents would be a way of encouraging them. These presents can be in the form of product branded gifts or simple messages or calls to let them know the business appreciates their commitment to the product brand.

It is also important to ensure the brand and the business model are closely tied together. The product or service provided should go an extra mile than what other competing products are offering. This is because building a brand goes beyond a name or logo and is mainly defined by the perception of customers. For a business selling electronic equipment, for instance, this extra service could be providing a toll-free help line that customers can call for technical support. In this case, customers can reach the business at the cost of the business.

Though branding strategies are well thought through before implementing, there is no guarantee that they would work as intended. It is therefore important for the business to always go back and measure the success levels attained. Measuring the marketing metrics before and after implementing the strategy would help to know how much gain is made and if there is a need for re-strategizing.

A branding strategy does not have to be rigid and followed strictly. There should be allowances for flexibility. As trends change, the strategy should be capable of changing with them without the need to go back to the drawing board. One marketing message, for instance, can be interpreted in many different ways to suit different audience groups.

Observing the strategies of competing brands can also help a business stay on top of the competition. This is because both businesses seek to capture the same pool of customers. Care should be taken, however, not to copy just anything from competitors.




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