So you've got your idea, hobby, side hustle or business. Now what? In the age of Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok, it's not enough to just expect your product to sell brick and mortar. Your social media presence and brand identity is almost just as important as the product or service you are selling. Behind every design decision you have made, there has been some kind of voice or argument for your process. Brand development is about addressing these decisions in a story-telling argument to sell your product to consumers. For example, if you've made your bags ethically and locally in the USA, there's a reason. What about that decision is important to you? Are you passionate about American made products? Are you passionate about supporting small businesses? Are you passionate about sustainability and off-setting the environmental impacts of your product production?
These decisions become a part of your brand identity, voice and values which help you to build a clear and relatable brand. Not only is brand development one of the most misunderstood concepts in business, but it is also one that your business can’t survive without. Keep reading below to hear from the team at #clutchmadefactory on their experience with brand development and its importance.
I Have A Brand, why would I need a brand strategy?
You need a brand strategy for many reasons, your brand needs to be more than just a product and a want to sell product. The brand is a reflection of you, your design, your values, your demographic, as well as your reputation, commitment and passion. Without a brand strategy, your brand in this day and age will get lost in the sea of emerging small businesses and saturated markets. People want to create emotional bonds to brands, they want to be sold and continue to consume what you are presenting to them. A logical brand strategy will make it clear what your brand and product does and stands for, in turn creating a strong bond between consumers who will be purchasing your product for your brand and not just the stand alone item.
Can your brand exist without social media?
This is an interesting question. The team at #clutchmade believes that as social media is at the forefront of what we do and how we market, it's crucial for your social media presence to capture your brand identity and market your products. This doesn't mean you need 100K plus followers to be successful, in fact it would be better to have a smaller follower but a very engaged and interactive one, because over time this base will build and you know that your brand connection between product and consumers is strong and loyal.
Should the platform you use for your brand matter?
Yes, it should. If a certain social media platform doesn't make sense for your brand, product or capabilities you have to run it - don't do it! It can make your consumer more confused, create a lack of consistency and overall be less worth your while. Focus on one to two platforms you feel comfortably represent your product and market to your demographic. There's no point using snapchat if your consumers aren't on snapchat, so do your research and be smart about your platform use.
What is branding actually about?
This is where the logo, slogan, and all other visual elements come into play related to your product. Beyond all of your branding collaterals and visual components of your brand, your message, values, tone of voice, vision and aesthetics make up your brand experience. These should be consistent, clear and reflect your product.
Do I Need A Marketing Strategy?
Yes! You don't have to start big though. But marketing is very important to reaching potential customers and a solid marketing strategy through social media can be more beneficial than old school print marketing. With the right strategy and goals you can reach people who desire or need your product and like your brand.
In Conclusion
Brand development for any product is essential in today’s world of new technology and the competitiveness that comes with it. You need to build a product and brand hand in hand to sell successfully marketed products.