One of the principal shortcomings of businesses is their failure to establish a recognizable brand. The easiest way to remedy this issue is to capture the attention of consumers by distinguishing your business from the competition. Here are a few ways to demonstrate uniqueness by implementing personality into your brand along with examples of companies that have successfully done so.
Name
Instead of telling people exactly what your product or service does in your company name, try demonstrating the personality of your brand through a company name that invokes curiosity and gets people’s attention.
Example: MailChimp is an email service provider that has branded itself after its favorite jungle animal: the chimpanzee. The reason MailChimp is a memorable name is that it puts a face on their brand. Whenever dealing with their business, expect to encounter a chimp somewhere along the way.
Website
Your website is one of the most obvious tools for brand promotion. Incorporate your brand’s personality into your website.
Example: Moosejaw, the outdoor apparel retailer, has incorporated personality into everything written on its website. It doesn’t take much time to realize their attempt to amuse whoever consumes the information on their website. In expressing its personality through writing, Moosejaw demonstrates the uniqueness of its brand.
Video
An effective video not only communicates the features and benefits of your product or service but also conveys the uniqueness of your brand. Videos are also commonly shared and easier to remember than an equivalent text description of your business.
Example: Xero, an online accounting software company, has a video that’s prominently featured on the homepage of its website. Rather than intricately explain the details of its product, Xero’s video tells the story of one of its customers, demonstrating its uniqueness as a brand that cares about the people who use its product.
Blog
A blog offers an excellent branding opportunity for businesses. People not only value the type of open culture that a blog promotes but they also remember a business that willingly demonstrates its expertise and personality in its writing. Remember that it’s okay to write on subject matters that are not directly related to your business as long as they intrigue your customers.
Example: Southwest Airlines is an example of a company that effectively incorporates personality into its blog. With articles on topics ranging from its green initiatives to a company hosted golf tournament, the Southwest blog expresses more about its culture than one might understand from merely flying with them. By openly communicating with customers, Southwest emphasizes the personality of its brand.
Social Media
As a place where people freely share and interact with businesses on a regular basis, social media is perhaps the ideal forum to showcase your brand’s personality. But it’s not your presence on social media that distinguishes your brand; a company that engages its followers through sharing and conversations will be most easily remembered.
Example: Taco Bell (Facebook & Twitter) promotes a brand that connects with its customers at a personal level. In addition to posting updates on a regular basis, they do not hesitate to interact with followers by directly responding to their questions and comments. And they have a little fun doing it.
Product
Create a brand that people remember by offering a product or service that’s unique or outside the ordinary. Particularly for businesses that operate in a competitive industry, selling a unique product can effectively differentiate a business—a business that offers exceptional value or a personalized customer experience.
Example: Realizing that it could not offer the range of product designs that customers wanted, Nike decided to offer customers the option to design their own shoes through its Nike ID program. Not only does this option differentiate Nike’s product from the competition but it establishes a personal connection between the brand and the customer.
Store
If you have a retail store or office space, think of ways to incorporate your business’s personality into the store or office design. This can be done through color, accessories, sounds, layout, etc.
Example: Gino’s East, one of Chicago’s legendary pizza restaurants, adopted a unique way of designing its store by turning its walls into a chalkboard for customers to draw on. As you might imagine, the restaurant developed a reputation for a unique dining experience—good food and fun for all.
What’s Your Brand’s Personality?
A small business that can develop a recognizable brand will have the best chance of success. Consider incorporating the aforementioned aspects into your branding strategy. If you do, people might remember you the next time they’re looking for what you have to offer. A strong brand that reflects the personality and culture of the business is a great way to differentiate in a competitive marketplace.
Do you have unique ways you show your company’s personality to customers? Share them in the comments below!
Published: August 19, 2013
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