This an excerpt from my book Make My Brand Bigger.
So, why is it so important to clearly define your brand’s “Secret Sauce”?
Let me begin by interjecting the idea that not all brands are created equal. As mentioned above, many companies do not devote the time necessary to develop a thorough understanding of their brand. This results in missing many critical communication opportunities and saves the company from wasted efforts with misdirected advertisements and campaigns. Too often when we work with new clients, the outcome of the initial brand gap analysis raises many questions about their current state of brand strategy and their engagement with various marketing channels such as magazine advertising, social media engagement, and trade show participation. After careful consideration, these tactics are often identified as an enormous amount of wasted time and money.
Great brands are successful not only by defining a unique offering to their customers, but also by creating a unique position in the marketplace. This is accomplished by working through various components of your brand such as brand positioning, messaging, differentiators, competitive position, brand story, SWOT analysis, brand character, tone, and more. It may sound like a lot of branding jargon that means very little on the surface, but all of these brand elements—and more—help to define your brand’s “Secret Sauce.” In essence, a well-articulated brand will separate you from your competitors, assist in creating your overall brand message, define your unique story, and motivate your customers to act.
A brand must encompass every single aspect of the company, including the brand name, leadership of the principals, the culture of employees, the product offerings, the service offerings, high-level capabilities, the location of the business, company values, community involvement, associations, etc. You get the point.
Furthermore, developing a robust brand strategy is paramount to the success of your business. This strategy can also make a significant difference in your team’s ability to successfully launch a strong marketing and sales strategy. We regularly talk to marketing and sales teams. One of their biggest complaints is the lack of a unique brand message or story that helps them define a preference for their prospects.
Once you have developed a strong brand strategy, your very own brand “Secret Sauce,” you will be able to articulate and define your unique brand story and motivate your potential customer to act. And finally, your marketing and sales teams will be able to use your brand’s “Secret Sauce” to develop a sound marketing and sales strategy.
Moreover, getting people motivated to purchase your product or service starts with a strong brand story.
There are many nuances to brand building. Over the past three decades, my experience working with incredible branding experts has brought me to share some great insights, divulge intellectual knowledge, and provide specific agency processes. Make My Brand Bigger will help you alleviate costly mistakes and uncover specific details on how to rebrand or build your next brand.
This an excerpt from my book Make My Brand Bigger.
Contact the Author at:
Alex Valderrama, Cranium Agency
alex@craniumagency.com
303.952.9332