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Speaker: Peter Stevenson
In the world of business and marketing, having a clear and well-defined brand strategy is crucial. It's not just about logos and slogans but about understanding your brand's personality, values, and positioning. Peter Stevenson, a seasoned expert from Modern Eight, recently shared some valuable insights on answering key brand strategy questions. In this article, we'll break down the transcript of Peter's presentation to help you navigate these crucial aspects of branding.
Branding Philosophy at Modern Eight
Before delving into the key questions, Peter highlighted Modern Eight's branding philosophy. They focus on the emotional aspect of branding, emphasizing how emotions shape perceptions, behaviors, and, ultimately, a brand's performance. This philosophy forms the basis for answering the critical brand strategy questions.
The Branding Process
Modern Eight follows a four-step branding process:
Discover: This involves interviews with internal and external clients, competitor analysis, and understanding the current landscape.
Make Sense: Once you have the data, it's time to make sense of it. Identify the patterns, opportunities, and gaps.
Depict: This is where you present the questions and work on design and deployment. In this stage, you define your brand's unique attributes.
Design and Deploy: These are the execution stages, turning your brand strategy into reality.
Key Brand Strategy Questions
Brand Personality
The brand personality is how your brand behaves and is perceived by both internal and external stakeholders. To define your brand personality:
What adjectives do your customers use to describe your brand?
What adjectives do you want your customers to use when describing your brand?
These adjectives should be specific and meaningful, not generic terms like "fun" or "engaging."
Core Values
Core values drive your brand's decision-making. To determine your core values:
What are the core values that guide your brand?
What are the four most important values of your company?
It's crucial to have a concise list of core values that reflect your brand's essence.
Brand Point of View
Your brand's point of view is how it sees the world and its role in it. To define your point of view:
How does your brand view the world?
What is your brand's perspective on what should happen in the world?
Your brand's viewpoint should be optimistic and align with your brand's mission.
Brand Promise
The brand promise is the pledge you make to your customers and what they entrust you to deliver. To establish your brand promise:
What is the explicit promise you make to your customers?
What can your customers trust you to deliver consistently?
Your brand promise should align with your brand's values and mission.
Brand Purpose
Your brand's purpose goes beyond making money; it defines why you're in business. To clarify your brand's purpose:
What is the ultimate goal of your brand beyond financial success?
What problem are you trying to solve, and why does your brand exist?
A clear and compelling purpose helps your brand resonate with customers who share your values.
Brand Positioning
Brand positioning involves identifying your unique offering and competitive advantage. To establish brand positioning:
What is something unique that only your brand can claim?
What competitive advantages do you have over your competitors?
Your competitive advantage could be based on factors like product quality, price, or nimbleness in serving specific customer needs.
Conclusion
A well-defined brand strategy is a fundamental pillar of a successful business. By answering these key brand strategy questions, you'll create a solid foundation for your branding efforts. Remember, your brand's personality, values, point of view, promise, purpose, and positioning should align to create a cohesive and compelling brand identity. These insights from Peter Stevenson can help your brand thrive in today's dynamic marketplace.
Q&A
Q1: Some attendees were discussing their "only only." What does that mean?
Your "only only" is essentially your unique selling proposition (USP), the one thing that sets your product or service apart from others in the market.
Q2: Can you provide examples of different "only only" propositions?
Sure, here are a few examples from the discussion:
SOS Productions is the only recording studio that partners with high schools to provide audio production to students and professionals at unbeatable prices.
Brian Hill's app, "Peace," is the only app that allows users to both give and receive assistance anonymously.
A non-law firm consulting firm is the only one that reduces the cost and anxiety associated with healthcare insurance payer audits.
Q3: How can I discover my own "only only"?
To identify your unique selling proposition, start by talking to your customers and asking them why they chose your product or service. Also, reach out to those who didn't choose you and find out why they went with a different option. This feedback will help you understand what sets you apart.
Q4: I'm in the service industry, and it's not as straightforward as a product. Any tips for identifying your "only only" in this context?
While it may be more challenging in the service industry, the same principles apply. Talk to your clients and ask them why they chose your services over others or why they didn't choose you. Focus on understanding their perception of your brand and what value you bring.
Q5: How do you find people who didn't buy your product or service to gather feedback?
You can identify people who didn't choose your product or service by analyzing data, such as website abandonment, or by directly reaching out to potential customers who opted for an alternative. In a service context, you can look for those who requested quotes but didn't proceed.
Q6: Are there differences in discovering your "only only" for digital products versus services?
While there may be differences in the specifics, the overall process is similar for both digital products and services. It involves asking questions, gathering data, and understanding your customers' perspectives. UX researchers can provide insights for digital products, and the same principles can be applied to services.
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