Four strategies to help your brand stand out

With more than 2.5 million active businesses in the Australian economy and more than 333 million around the world, it is easy to understand how brands can struggle to differentiate their offerings from that of their competition.

Whether your business is a corporate firm, a bricks and mortar store, or an exclusively online company, the strategies to make your brand stand out are the same.

The following four strategies, when used concurrently, will help your brand stand out.

1. Authentic

An authentic brand is one that is true to its values, transparent, sincere and has gained the trust of its consumers.

According to a Stackla study, 90 per cent of consumers say that authenticity is important when deciding which brands they will support.

What is also insightful is these studies highlight that 92 per cent of marketers believe the content they create resonates as authentic with their consumers. When in reality, only 51 per cent of consumers agree.

In a digital age that is overloaded with information, user-generated content is the most authentic and influential form of content, with the most cut-through. 79 per cent of people studied said that user-generated content impacts their purchasing decisions.

The lesson – embrace and share the content your consumers create. Word of mouth is your most powerful tool because consumers trust what others say about your brand more than what a business promotes.

As Mark Zuckerberg has said, “A trusted referral is the holy grail of advertising”.

2. Consistent

Brand consistency is not only about how a logo appears – it is about making sure that everything your company does, says and produces is consistent in values, tone, messaging and appearance.

Studies show a consistent brand can increase revenue by 33 per cent. This could be in part because a consistent brand builds confidence and trust in your company. It helps to evoke a sense of reliability and stability, and it is important for differentiating your company from its competitors.

Coca-cola and Starbucks are two global brands that have mastered brand consistency in all the markets in which they operate. Whether in Asia, Australia or America, when a consumer purchases a cola or a caramel macchiato, they know that it will consistently meet their expectations.

To ensure brand consistency, the first step is to develop clear and comprehensive brand guidelines and to make sure that anyone that represents your brand (whether writing or designing content or acting as a spokesperson) implements them.

3. Original

Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets you apart from your competitors – your products’/services’ strengths and their benefits to your customer. It is the reason why someone should choose your product or service over someone else’s.

Your USP isn’t restricted to one statement – it can be multiple statements about different products/services tailored to specific target markets.

In-depth consumer interviews and a thorough competitive analysis will provide you with the best insights when developing your USP.

4. Visible

Marketers and advertisers are saturating the landscape – online and offline – with their wares.

In the world of social media alone, there are more than 200 million business pages on Facebook and close to 60 million companies listed on Linkedin. This is in addition to all the websites, news feeds, blogs and paid ads that populate online search results.

Staying visible is critical because, if people can’t see your offerings, they won’t interact with you.

A good marketing strategy should include a PESO model – ‘Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned’ – and allows you to identify all the opportunities at a brand’s disposal to increase visibility.

Visibility comes in many forms including but not limited to:

• Company website
• Social media
• News
• Networking and industry events
• Industry publications
• Advertising (print and digital)
• Brand ambassadors
• Sponsorship
• Shop fronts

Each of these touch points help to strengthen your brand presence.

What’s also helpful is to use bold, eye-catching design elements to help you visibly standout from the crowd.

Ultimately, the key to being visible is to understand where your consumers exist and to target your efforts to increase your presence in these places.

Connect with us

At Phillips Group, we use data and consumer insights to create memorable brands and compelling narratives that accurately reflect your business, while bearing in mind the needs of your stakeholders – now and into the future.

Contact Managing Director, Stephanie Paul to discuss how we can work with you to create a brand that stands out.