Written by Lizelle Grobbelaar
Have you ever heard or been in an argument where people try to explain which brand is better, an iPhone or Samsung? Xbox or PlayStation?
Both sides believe that their choice is the better one. Their opinions are based on their experience with the brand. Positive experiences can lead to trust, and trust leads to loyalty. This will then influence the consumer’s purchasing behavior in such a way that all they want and talk about is your brand and its products.
This is what brand awareness can do for a brand: embed itself into consumer lifestyles and purchase habits so that they don’t have to think twice before becoming a customer — time and time again.
Branding develops an image of a company’s products in the minds of consumers, attributing goods with certain unique characteristics or qualities that are attractive to the target audience if done effectively.
Understanding Brand Awareness
Brand awareness represents how familiar your target audience is with your brand and how well they recognize it. You know brand’s have a high brand awareness when someone is talking about the brand with just mentioning their logo or brand colors and instantly recognizing the brand. Establishing brand awareness is valuable when marketing and promoting your company and products, especially in the early stages of a business.
Does Brand Awareness benefit you?
Yes, it most certainly does!
Branding develops an image of a company’s products in the minds of consumers, attributing goods with certain unique characteristics or qualities that are attractive to the target audience if done effectively.
In addition, a brand widely known in the market has brand recognition and builds up positive sentiment which further strengthens the company position amongst competitors. Here are 5 benefits to convince you in investing time and money into brand awareness.
- Mind awareness.
This is when clients think of you first when they need to make a purchase within your product category.
- Client loyalty.
Once a consumer bonds to your brand, they’re more likely to make repeat purchases with little to no forethought. It also creates a sense of security.
- Expansion.
Brand identity might help you to acquire investors.
- Word of mouth.
This plays a strong role in the market in helping your brand grow its client base and develop loyal relationships with top clients.
- Useful executive metric.
Increased brand awareness can signal the yield on efforts to break into new markets and provide tangible evidence of a company’s potential for growth while financial results, sales data trump most other inputs. The company can then report to the board, the shareholders, other stakeholders as evidence of a company’s success.
How to start your Brand Awareness Journey
This journey does not happen overnight. It is a continuous process full of trial and error. A few strategies to aid you in this journey will be discussed. I would recommend trying all of these strategies, and more, in order to see what works for your company and what not.
- Offer freemium.
Freemium is a business model that offers a basic product or product line for free, only charging for any products deemed premium or enterprise-level.
Offering a freemium option allows customers to get a taste of your brand and product before making a purchase. It’s a try-before-you-buy opportunity that can, technically, last forever (as opposed to a free trial period that some companies choose).
- Create free content.
Nowadays, creating content is easier than ever which is a good thing because today’s consumers turn to the internet for any and all questions, concerns, and DIY projects.
Content is a fun way to raise awareness of your brand because it’s the easiest way to show personality and share opinions and positioning on issues — two major components that personify and humanize your brand.
- Local partnerships.
Another great brand building strategy is to get involved with local partnerships. Partner with other local businesses to hold joint intro seminars or festivals. Sponsor local sports teams and donate to charity events. Getting your brand plastered around festivals and events will do big things for your brand.
- Social media contests.
Run a social media contest in which contestants submit a photo or video, with other users voting for their favourites. Contestants will share the link with friends and family to get more votes, building your brand awareness as a result.
- Unique personality.
One guaranteed way to increase brand awareness is by giving your brand a fun, unique brand identity. If you work in an industry where a little dose of comedy or personality is appropriate, being outrageous can make your brand extremely memorable.
Brand awareness is a powerful concept that can have a major impact on your marketing efforts, consumer perception, and revenue.
Follow these techniques for establishing and building awareness for your brand, and you’ll find yourself with a loyal audience that recognizes your brand among competitors, chooses your products time and time again, and recommends their friends and family do the same.