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I recently got a call from a merchant I’ve not heard from in several years. They were in an absolute panic because the budget platform they chose for their multiple websites had resulted in a black hole of performance-related issues. When I began talking to them about a brand strategy that would help course correct, they immediately shut me down.
The owner suggested using a variety of free apps and graphics that EYStudios had designed back in the mid-2000s, before iPhones. Instead of upgrading to a better platform, they wanted to spend the same or less than they are on the one causing them so much pain. Yeah, uhh—that’s not going to work.
What Is Going On?
With inflation and supply-chain woes still weighing on most small businesses, there are a lot of question marks in the air. During times of economic uncertainty, one thing is for sure certain: everyone has an opinion on what’s going to happen next.
One person will tell you about an article they read that forecasted utter doom, while another will give you five reasons why things aren’t going to be that bad. The voices you listen to can either accentuate or drown out your own thoughts, so it’s critical to maintain a solid direction that will see you through life’s ups and downs.
Even in the best of times, brand strategy can often be neglected. It’s regarded by many a business person as a low-priority item that pales in comparison to weightier areas needed in running the company.
De-prioritizing your brand results in one or more of the following:
- Throwing it over the fence to the marketing team without giving them enough power to realize real change.
- Choosing the cheapest solutions possible to maintain “a” presence, knowing full well they’re not addressing the real problems.
- Looking to third-party widgets to provide conversion band-aids.
- Pouring money into marketing while ignoring what is being marketed.
Or, my favorite:
- Do nothing. You’ll reconsider your brand strategy when you have more time and money.
Neglecting enhancements to your brand is not just cutting off your nose to spite your face. It’s losing blood to spite your heart!
Your brand is the heart of your company. It is the magic that converts customers and keeps them coming back. However, if you don’t believe in magic, there won’t be any.
During the economic downturn in 2008 and the years following, we were fortunate to work with brands that smartly and bravely invested in their brand experience. This impacted everything from customer service and package design to new brand standards and merchandising. This resulted in them catapulting past their competition, who had somehow frozen in place.
Instead of letting fear freeze your own brand strategy, here are three things to build and keep momentum:
1. Decide WHO is going to handle your brand strategy.
One of the common issues we’re seeing among small businesses is that they frankly do not have the staff to do what’s needed on their website and marketing materials. Even those in the marketing department will (sometimes) admit they don’t have the experience or resources to accomplish what they know must be done.
You have two obvious options: you either hire full-timers or you outsource. Depending on what you can realistically manage and budget for, the answer may be startlingly clear. No matter your choice, bringing in new talent is going to require a time investment to get them up to speed. It’s also going to require definitive expectation setting so that everybody knows what needs to happen for the betterment of the brand.
2. Identify the key areas in need of improvement (and opportunities to expand).
Sometimes the painful areas are simple to recognize, whereas others take some time to identify. By comparing anecdotal data alongside what analytics are telling you, your team will be able to pinpoint the challenges a revitalized brand strategy will address.
This includes what I call “pouring gasoline on the fire,” which are unique brand elements that are already connecting with your customers. If they’re working, it can work even better. Of course, if there are barely any sparks, that’s the first place to start!
Remember, your brand is not just one thing or another; it’s everything about your company that resonates with the customer. This can include on-site elements as well as your off-site marketing. With an omnichannel mindset, you are looking at a holistic strategy to accommodate more than one type of customer, with varying needs and wants.
Just as you may be facing uncertainty, so can your customers. When your brand confidently addresses the unique emotional matrix of your consumer base, that’s when “strategy” results in something meaningful.
3. Empower your team to execute their plan.
This is where the rubber meets the road. You’ve assembled a team of rock stars, and now it’s time for them to perform. Empowering them means encouraging their efforts while being realistic about how and when they’re going to meet their assigned metrics.
By now, your team knows your expectations. Your job is to provide the resources and encouragement to do the work, and their job is to show you the results of their initiatives. Just like a tree won’t appear the next day after planting a seed, everyone will need to be on the same page regarding the timeline and how customers will respond to the brand strategy.
Realizing your brand is the most powerful tool you have is the key to driving growth. Don’t let uncertainty leak into your strategy, or your customers and prospects will be turned off by an unoriginal and inauthentic brand experience. This will only open the door to more aggressive competition that will exploit the void you once had the opportunity to fill.
If you need help in fully realizing the power of your online brand, contact my team at EYStudios!
