BLOG POST
10-step guide: Build a strong brand
6 August 2024 | Brand building
You will learn more about:
• What is a brand?
• What defines a strong brand?
• Why is a strong brand beneficial?
• How to: 10 steps to strengthen your brand
What is a strong brand? And how can you strengthen your brand? In this comprehensive blog post, we have gathered 10 in-depth tips on the topic – from internal guidelines to channel selection and target audiences. You’ll also find plenty of tips within the tips and examples to help you get started easily.
The blog post is especially relevant for those working in the experience industry, including events, hotels, or destinations.
What is a brand?
A brand is much more than a graphic identity with logos, colors, and fonts. A brand is the company’s identity, and it involves elements such as:
The company’s products and/or services
The company’s values and messaging
The company’s name, slogan, logo, colors, sound logo, and other elements
The company’s culture and the people behind it
The emotions and experiences associated with the company
A brand does not always have to be a company. It can also be destinations (place brands) or people (personal brands). Additionally, it varies whether you sell services (like train travel, concerts, or music apps) or physical products (such as clothing, furniture, or groceries).
What defines a strong brand?
A strong brand is one that is associated with positive customer experiences, that is reliable and consistent, yet innovative and personal. A strong brand truly provides value to customers. Often, a strong brand means that your customers choose you over other, similar brands.
A strong brand does not have to be one that the majority knows. It does not need to be McDonald's, Nike, Coca-Cola, Disney, or another well-known brand. Strong brands can also be smaller. They can also vary in strength and recognition depending on target groups, industries, roles, and geographical locations.
Examples: Companies that sell menstrual products are likely to be better known among women, while different email tools are more recognized among marketers. The cozy farm café is more talked about by those who live within the geographical area, and people in the event industry are more familiar with various booking agencies and concert organizers.
A strong brand doesn’t need to be a globally recognized brand. A strong brand is more about security and positive customer experiences that resonate with the customer.
Why is a strong brand important?
Having a strong, reliable brand is important for several reasons:
Increased customer loyalty
By consistently delivering positive customer experiences, your customers will want to return to you again and again. They will choose you the next time because you have been consistent in your offerings, service, and the emotions you have evoked in them. Simply put, a strong brand makes your customers more loyal.
Enhanced competitive advantage
The stronger your brand, the more top-of-mind you will be for your (potential) customers. This gives you a significant advantage over your competitors.
Is your business not open year-round? Maybe you sell concert tickets only during the summer or ski vacations during the winter? Or do you run a nightclub on weekends? Then you want to ensure that your brand is the first one customers think of – regardless of season, time of year, or day of the week.
Increased influence
If you have a strong brand, you gain more influence and bargaining power. How? By being a brand with satisfied customers and a recognized position in the market, you are better positioned for partnerships and sponsorships. Suppliers and other stakeholders simply look up to you in a different way.
Less price-sensitive audience
A strong brand is associated with security, high customer satisfaction, and positive experiences. If your brand maintains this image, you can also charge higher prices. Customers who know what they are getting are willing to pay more for a brand that represents security and quality.
A brand is not just a company’s logo – it consists of many parts.
How to strengthen your brand: 10 steps
Building a strong brand doesn't happen overnight. Nor in a month. But by working step by step to strengthen your brand, you will eventually reach your goal.
Here are 10 tips to strengthen your brand. Let’s go!
1. Achieve internal alignment (one page is enough!)
A strong brand begins with you. It starts with your products and services, and your staff. Therefore, it's essential to have internal alignment within your brand on the following:
Core values and beliefs: Who you are and what you stand for.
Needs: Why you exist and what needs you fulfill.
Target audience: Who you are there for and who you are targeting.
Guiding star: What you are working towards and where you want to be in 1, 2, or 5 years.
Motivation and culture: Why you come to work every day.
Internal alignment doesn't need to be more than one page long. The key is that it exists, is accessible to all employees, and there is a shared understanding.
2. Have a mantra
Once you have internal alignment, it's time to agree on a mantra. A mantra acts as a powerful reminder of the brand's core values and goals. It provides employees with clarity of purpose, creates cohesion and team spirit, and inspires and motivates everyone around what you want to achieve. Additionally, it enhances relationships with both customers and partners.
Examples of mantras:
"We make every evening unique – for every guest"
"We make each festival better than the last"
"Every stay – a story"
"The customer's success is our success"
"A sustainable future, one step at a time"
Remember that a mantra should be short and concise, permeate the entire brand, and feel "right" to the employees. Be prepared to adjust and refine the mantra based on the feedback you receive until it truly feels right.
What is your business’s mantra? With a powerful mantra and purpose, you can motivate employees, customers, and partners, which will ultimately give you a stronger brand.
3. Understand your audience – the A to Z
What are you selling? Who is buying – or wants to buy – what you are selling?
For example, if you are selling concert tickets, you are not selling tickets per se. You are selling an experience, a fun night, an opportunity for the visitor to leave the everyday hustle at home. And if you are selling robotic vacuum cleaners, you are essentially selling time savings.
To build a strong brand, you need to know and understand your customers. You need to know who they are, what they like, what their lifestyle is like, what their needs are, and why they buy what you sell. You need to be clear about who you are for – and who you are not for (not all customers are the "right" customers!). If you know the most about your customers, you can also be the best at what you do!
To better understand your target audience, you can look at:
Customer information: such as age, gender, and city.
Sales data: purchase history, buying behavior, interests, etc.
Feedback: such as reviews and ratings from customer surveys.
Social media: age, gender, city, posts that have generated engagement, etc.
Email marketing: open rates and click rates.
4. Listen to your customers' feedback
Since a strong brand is built on great customer experiences and satisfied customers, it is essential to listen to what your guests have to say. Ensure that your customer service maintains the same high level at the ticket booth, in the reception, and over the phone for any complaints. Send out customer surveys and try to view the feedback objectively. And ask your customers directly about their experiences.
In short: Gather concrete reviews, ratings, and testimonials, and try to create an (even) stronger brand from them.
Psst! Sometimes you don't have to listen to your audience. If you have an idea that you truly believe in, you can test and implement it. Not all customer segments are a good fit for you – and that's okay.
What do your guests and customers say? Viewing feedback with an objective perspective is important for strengthening your brand.
5. Surprise your audience!
Strong brands are stable and reliable in the sense that they consistently deliver great experiences. But does that mean they always sell the same products year in and year out? That hotel rooms always look the same, that the hotel breakfast always has the same selection, and that events are carried out in exactly the same way every time? Absolutely not!
According to Fredrik Toreskog, Creative Director at ESS Group, successful brands dare to question old truths. They don’t do the same thing every year but instead innovate, surprise, and develop their products. He believes that strong brands don’t just do what has worked well in the past – they are confident and humble, surprise their audience, and inspire.
How can you surprise your audience?
6. Invest in and believe in your staff (they are also owners of the brand!)
Who owns your brand? It’s easy to think that it’s only the CEO or the founder who owns the brand – but that’s not the case. Your brand is much more than that. It involves products, services, values, logos, culture, and more.
A large part of your brand is your staff. Regardless of how many employees you have, every employee is a representative of the brand. Therefore, you need to invest in and believe in your employees, but also see the people behind the employment contracts.
Consider:
What can you do for your colleagues and employees? How can you encourage and motivate them? Think broadly – motivation can come through external courses, internal kick-offs, encouraging words, and simple gifts.
How can you get employees to engage with the brand? How can you get them to want to spread the word, both verbally and through digital channels? (Their willingness to spread the word naturally depends on your company having fair conditions, a good culture, etc.)
How can you help each other? Is there something that needs to be done in the company that someone else can take responsibility for? For example, if you want to start a newsletter, is there someone who can take responsibility for writing it? You need to believe that the employees are capable (more than you might think) and be willing to delegate responsibility for certain tasks.
How can you encourage and motivate your colleagues?
7. Let your brand grow organically
How should you grow your brand? It's easy to get caught up in terms like branding, CRM systems, brand platforms, and programmatic advertising. But the solution doesn’t lie in purchased ads and expensive systems – at least not 100 percent.
Instead, you should focus on what you are delivering today and the power of that. What is the core of your business? What do your customers and guests think? What makes your brand special?
If you can deliver the best experience in the world, your visitors will most likely tell others about it. They will speak highly of you and recommend you. In this way, others will become curious about your business, and previous visitors will want to return. Word-of-mouth marketing should not be underestimated!
In short: Let your brand grow organically. Focus on what makes your business stand out. Strive to deliver a world-class experience, and the marketing will take care of itself – word-of-mouth is probably the best kind of marketing!
8. Use the right channels – both digital and analog
A strong brand doesn’t use just Instagram or just newsletters to communicate with its guests. Nor does it rely solely on word-of-mouth marketing. A successful brand mixes digital and analog channels. It uses channels that match the target audience's media consumption habits while standing out by thinking outside the box.
Both digital and analog channels have their advantages and limitations. Digital channels often offer more direct interaction with the audience and the ability to measure and analyze. Analog channels, on the other hand, can reach broader audience groups and create a more personal feel. To strengthen your brand, it's best to combine these channel types, letting the target audience, budget, and purpose guide your choice of channels.
Examples of digital channels:
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Vimeo, Twitch, etc.
Website: The brand's own website and showcase with blogs, articles, news, press releases, etc.
Direct marketing via email and SMS: Newsletters, informational dispatches, campaign mailings, customer communication, customer surveys, etc.
Digital ad platforms: Google advertising, Meta advertising, display advertising, etc.
Podcasts: Own podcast, participation in others’ podcasts, sponsored segments in popular podcasts, etc.
Online events: Webinars, online presentations, virtual conferences, etc.
Mobile apps: Own app for (potential) customers, push notifications, etc.
Examples of analog channels:
Print media: Ads in newspapers and magazines, brochures, flyers, etc.
Outdoor advertising: Posters, billboards, street signs, bus and subway ads, etc.
TV: Commercials on TV channels, sponsored programs, etc.
Radio: Participation in radio broadcasts, ads on radio channels, etc.
Direct mail advertising: Catalog mailings, postal campaigns, etc.
Physical events: Own events, participation in trade shows, participation in others’ events, sponsorship of physical events, etc.
PR: Press conferences, press releases, media coverage, etc.
An ad in a print newspaper can work very well as part of your brand-building strategy if your target audience consumes that type of media.
9. Remember that you have competition
Here’s a gentle reminder: you have competition. Whether you are selling concert memories, lovely days on the ski slopes, or delicious sandwiches at a farm café, there are other brands offering similar products and services. Therefore, we have three tips for you:
Keep an eye on your competitors, acknowledge that they exist, and understand what they are doing...
... but don't become fixated on what your competitors are doing! If you focus on your uniqueness and create the venue or café you would want to visit yourself, you’ll be on the right path. Don’t imitate your competitors – base your strategy on your business.
Keep in mind that no one likes ads, and people are short on time. Most people today are discerning and busy, but also smart. Think about how your brand can stand out (among your competitors) and reach your target audience!
10. Develop your brand and your business
Once your business is running smoothly, it's easy to get complacent. You continue doing what has always worked and are content with people visiting you. However, you must remember that you are the one steering the development of your business and your brand. You need to keep following steps 1–9 and think innovatively to exceed customer expectations.
Example: Suppose you have a venue. You've booked a band to play for 60 minutes one evening, and you’ve received a photo and a text from the booking agency. How can you make the evening extra memorable for the audience? First, consider that the band is only part of the experience – not the entire experience. Second, think about how you can add value for those attending. You should inform them about when the bar and restaurant open, who is tending the bar, and what is on the menu. What happens after the performance? Is there a new collaboration worth highlighting? Can the band play a song unique to your venue? And do you really need to use that photo and text from the booking agency, or can you craft a more personal story?
Remember, you are the one driving the development of your brand. Dare to think differently, question old truths, and try new things. How can you surprise and continue delivering positive experiences?
How can you develop your brand and make it even stronger?
Summary
What is a brand?
A brand is the identity of the company. It involves its products and/or services, values and messaging, its name, slogan, logo, colors, sound logo, and other elements, its culture and the people behind it, and the emotions and experiences associated with the company.
What defines a strong brand?
A strong brand is associated with positive customer experiences. It is reliable, consistent, innovative, and personal, which makes customers choose it over similar brands. A strong brand doesn’t need to be well-known by the majority but can be niche and have varying strengths depending on the target audience, industry, and geographical location.
Why is a strong brand important?
• It increases customer loyalty.
• It provides a competitive advantage.
• It gives you greater influence and bargaining power.
• It attracts a less price-sensitive audience.
How to strengthen your brand: 10 steps
1. Have internal alignment around values, needs, target audience, guiding principles, motivations, and culture. One page is enough!
2. Have a mantra that is short and concise, permeates the entire brand, and feels “right”. It should motivate and inspire employees, customers, and partners.
3. Get to know your target audience. Look at customer information, sales data, and feedback from your customers.
4. Listen to your customers. Gather concrete reviews, ratings, and testimonials, and use them to create an even stronger brand.
5. Surprise your audience! Strong brands don’t just do what has worked well in the past – they are confident and humble, surprise their audience, and inspire.
6. Invest in your staff. Show that you care about your colleagues and trust that they are capable of more than you think. Remember, they are also owners of the brand!
7. Let your brand grow organically. Focus on what makes your business stand out and deliver a world-class experience. Word-of-mouth marketing should not be underestimated!
8. Use both digital and analog channels that match your audience's media consumption habits. And don’t be afraid to stand out!
9. Remember you have competition – but don’t become fixated on what they are doing.
10. Continue driving development forward by thinking innovatively, exceeding customer expectations, and creating unique experiences that strengthen your brand.