Brand Development
I believe that a strong brand must be built on a strong vision. From launching a new brand to refreshing a legacy brand, I have built brands on customer-centric visions. We as customers interact with a lot of messages and information throughout the day. In order to cut through the noise and competition, I find it to be essential to humanize the brand. Making a social and humanized connection means understanding your customer and solving their problems and needs. A brand is the vehicle with which your product makes a first impression. In order to make that impression stick, a vision for how that entity looks, speaks, and thinks must be executed with control and consistency.
5 Steps towards Brand Development
Customer-Centered Research Understanding the customer begins with research. It is essential to observe the customer and fully understand their mindset, needs, and behaviors. In order to do this I readily observe customers, I conduct one-on-one interviews, hold focus groups, write and administer surveys, and subscribe to the same social and media outlets that interest them.
Competitive Analysis Knowing the competition allows me to carve out a unique space for the brand. Through deep competitive analysis, brand differentiation emerges with unique value propositions.
Strategic Positioning Finding the sweet spot for the brand in the market means articulating the audience, the problem, and the unique solution. My criteria for strategic positioning statements includes the requirement to be exclusive, customer-centric, and resilient.
Brand Identity The above three steps must be executed in order to conceive of the brand’s identity and personality. Humanizing the brand is very important during in-market execution but it is equally important at the onset. The brand should address all senses. I have guided the development of several visual branding efforts and have built creative standardization guidelines for voice, tone, and content so that all in-market executed tactics are consistent and constant.
Go-to-Market Strategic Planning I have launched many brands into local, regional, national, and international markets. My launch planning begins with specific objectives and goals. My strategy planning begins with audience segments. Knowing where your customers are and being there is the first step towards being in the right place at the right time. Tactics and channels support goals and strategies and are carefully selected to be measurable and produce results.
