8 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR BRAND STAND OUT An Article by Jeyaraman Seenivasagam Visit us at http://malaysianindianbusiness.com/ Linkedin : my.linkedin.com/in/mibmagazine/ Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MalaysianIndianBusinessMagazine

1. 8 WAYS TO MAKE
YOUR BRAND
STAND OUT
W
hy do we
choose one
brand over
a n o t h e r ?
Brand loyalty is not a mental
act, but an emotional one, and
brand loyal customers have an
emotional relationship with
the brands they’re faithful
to. And like Woody Allen
explained in Annie Hall, “A
relationship, I think, is like
a shark. It has to constantly
move forward or it dies.”
Thechallengeformanybrands
is how to spark that emotional
relationship and then keep it
going. How does a brand get
that first date and turn it into
a long, happy marriage? Here
are eight steps to creating a
successful brand-consumer
relationship online.
Determine your type.
In today’s social media age,
almost everyone has a digital
profile. And as a business trying
to connect with a certain type of
customer, you need to create a
comprehensive profile of exactly
who that person is. You need to
be as detailed as possible and
know your type inside and out
-- what they eat for breakfast,
the kind of books they read,
whether they prefer kickboxing
or yoga and how they spend
their discretionary income. The
more detailed your profile, the
greater the number of candidates
your product or message could
resonate with.
Tell everyone you’re
looking.
If you were looking for a golf
buddy, a gym partner or even a mate, part of
your strategy would be to tell everyone you
know that you were looking. It’s no different
when it comes to business. You want to align
yourself with people and companies that can get
you in front of your type, that ideal consumer
you created a profile of. These people and
companies are influencers who have a direct
connection to your type and already have their
attention and trust.
Find a way to work with and partner with
these established influencers. Make them
your “passionate champions” -- people and
businesses who feel like they have a vested
interest in your success. Do this by
figuring out how to create a win-win
with these influencers.
Look the part.
Know what your type is attracted
to and make sure you look like
what they want. To do this you
have to know what kind of social
environments your type prefers (e.g.
Facebook or Twitter) and what kind
of ways they consume their media
(e.g. tablet, mobile or desktop). Your
online environment has to generate
interest and excitement and speak
their language.
Look into their eyes.
Everyone wants to feel like they’re
one of a kind. Your customer wants
to know that you get them, that
you understand exactly where
they’re coming from and what
they’re thinking. Create a two-way
conversation that allows you to get
a more in-depth understanding of
where they are and where they want
to be. Give them a voice and let them
know you’re listening.
Deliver value.
Make sure your brand speaks to
your type about what matters
to them. Your customer wants
to see how you can enhance
their life, because if you can’t,
there’s no reason for them to be
a repeat customer. Show them
that your product or service has
value, and they will be more
likely to move forward.
Ask for commitment.
If the brand-consumer
relationship was one between
two individuals, this would be
where you would “put a ring on
it!” But before you can “close”
or finalize the relationship, you
have to know what you want
your customer to do. It could be
to share your message, give you
their contact information or
make a purchase. Whatever it
takes, don’t let them walk away
without telling them exactly
what you need them to do,
and then get confirmation that
they’ve done it.
Keep the spark alive.
Ask anyone in a successful relationship
and they’ll tell you that the courtship
can never end. Re-imagine your key
message regularly and create targeted
campaigns that will attract new
customers as well as re-engage your
“passionate champions.” Re-energize
your message on a regular basis and
continue to drive home the importance
and relevance of your brand.
Gauge your performance.
The only way to know if a relationship
is working is to assess or evaluate
results. Likewise, in business, you
need to measure anything that relates
to achieving your goals -- traffic,
engagement, conversions, etc.
Apply these eight steps and you should
be on your way to a lasting, mutually
beneficial relationship with your
customers. Effective branding is more
complex than ever and your consumer
is more savvy and discerning now. It
takes real ingenuity and vision to create
and sustain the kind of emotional
connection that keeps them coming
back.
6 7
MIB MAR 2014 MIB MAR 2014
Jeyaraman Seenivasagam
Buzan Licensed Instructor
for Mind Mapping and Chief
Training Officer of Success Edge.
Professional trainer & speaker.
Trained more than 26, 000 people
ranging from students to top
management on mind mapping,
memory skills, public speaking,
creative thinking, speed reading,
communication skills and sales.
He is available for talks and
seminars on Mind Mapping.
jeya@successedge.com.my
www.successedge.com.my
MARKETING MARKETING
Mar 2014.indd 6-7 17/2/2014 6:18:23 AM