When it comes to branding in Calgary, you must recognize that there are various options available. Your branding strategy and implementation are very much based on the type of business you have and the goals of your marketing objectives. Each of these variables will define your approach.
Before we dive deeper into the most common and important branding options available, let’s look at the key elements of an effective branding strategy.
Fundamentals For Branding in Calgary
Key point one: you must remember that your brand is more than just your company’s logo and name; it’s the purpose of your campaign and what you stand for in the marketplace. Your strategy has to define your mission, target market, and value proposition.
To develop this strategy, you consider following this step-by-step approach:
- Understand What Is Driving Your Business (What is the purpose of your business? Understanding what drives your business and your ambitions will help establish and form your brand identity)
- Define Your Brand (How do you stand out from the competition and the marketplace? Know this, and you can define what you are)
- Develop Your Unique Identity and Voice (Being unique and different is what separates you from your competitors. So from the colour of your logo to the language and the tone of your messages, you’ll have to develop a strong identity so that you’re truly unique)
- Don’t Try To Mimic Big Brands Or Companies (Always be original. Don’t mimic what the big boys are doing. Be yourself – that works every time)
(Click on our blog “Branding Benefits For Your Business” to get off to a good start!)
Once you have defined what you stand for, you can now look towards placing your business within one of these important branding styles.
Five of the Most Powerful Branding Types
Corporate Branding
Being ‘corporate’ might seem old-fashioned and cliche, but it’s a powerful tool to use for your branding. How your business is perceived is crucial for your reputation, and therefore, going for a corporate branding strategy might aid your perception.
A prime example of corporate branding is the automobile industry. Consider all the luxury brands and their “position” on the market. BMW, Mercedes Benz, Rolls Royce, Fiat and GMC. All display a very corporate, professional and luxury image, highlighting the quality and prestige of their brands.
The same very much applies to lawyers and people in the legal industry. You must portray a professional, corporate image in order to represent yourself in the best possible manner.
Depending on what you’re selling, going for a corporate appeal might work in your favour.
Cultural Branding
Very much a modern-day approach to marketing that works very well if you do it right. Cultural branding is about building a positive shared identity and reputation with individuals who share similar nationalities or cultures.
A prime example can be Expedia. They promote all types of holidays, inviting people who celebrate the culture to take part in it. They once did a blog roundup of how their people celebrate Lunar New Year, a popular holiday in Asian countries. It worked a treat!
This type of branding adds a level of personal connection and authenticity to your business, but you have to be very careful to get it right or risk reputation damage.
Product & Service Branding
This type of branding is all about the experience of the consumer. How they enjoy their service and product while using it, and how you can develop a relationship between you and your customer.
Building on these experiences is a crucial part. You have to focus on what makes your product or service unique and different from others.
Plumbing services, for example, would focus heavily on the experience of hiring the professionals. On the other hand, make-up products will be about the quality and enjoyment that comes with the product. A restaurant is about both: highlighting the quality of the food and the service of that food.
Consistently delivering excellent service and products builds a good reputation and strengthens your product and service branding.
Personal Branding
What makes Richard Branson or Elon Musk so popular with their fans? It’s their personal appeal of their brand. This personalized branding approach is about creating an image that connects with people on a fundamental level.
Be it funny, disruptive, philanthropic (like Branson) or crazy, big-talking and ambitious (like Musk), developing this persona builds a loyal following to the brand. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a billionaire to benefit from personal branding. You can do it yourself or hire a branding agency in Calgary.
You need to be clear of WHO you are and WHAT you stand for, particularly for social topics. Once you’ve established your business’ goals, you can promote it on a better, personal level.
Opting For The Branding Of Your Choice
Remember that the branding type you choose must fit in with your beliefs and your mission statement. Saying one thing and representing the other will mess up your image, resulting in problems for your business.
If you are struggling, you are not alone. Plenty of businesses grapple with branding their business and turn towards digital marketing agencies in Calgary to help them. You can do the same, turning your business into a branding behemoth!
