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Creating a Brand Message - Where Do I Start?

Guest post by: Faith Seekings

Article Overview: Start by literally looking at what is and isn’t working – ex: this email got more response than the other version. Ask members of your target audience to review different pieces, noting which item’s design and language resonates most and why. The why is important to start identifying specific characteristics. Are the graphics really impactful, the headlines compelling, etc. Then, ask them to tell you the opposite – what they were least attracted to and why. From the responses you get, create a checklist of these basic characteristics and note opportunities to make changes based on the well-received characteristics and recognize use of the disliked ones.

Creating a Brand Message - Where Do I Start?

This was a question posed to me by a student of Entrepreneurship at Ryerson. He was involved in a new venture and had been doing a number of marketing efforts, but they were not effective. They lack consistency in look and language from one item to the next. But, he hadn’t really identified or built their brand character yet.

‘So where do I start’ he asked. I said, ‘Besides hiring us to develop a concise brand positioning + character, creating logos, taglines and a few initial pieces around which we can write guidelines…’

Look at what is and isn’t working.

Start by literally looking at metrics – ex: this email got more response than the other version. I recommended asking members of the target audience to review different pieces, noting which item’s design and language resonates most and why. The why is important to start identifying specific characteristics. Are the graphics really impactful, the headlines compelling, etc.

Then, ask them to tell you the opposite – what they were least attracted to and why.

Create a checklist.

Create a checklist of these basic characteristics and note opportunities to make changes based on the well-received characteristics and recognize use of the disliked ones. It may be simple changes to copy, or adding small elements like ‘we always have a watermark of the logo icon in the background.’ Use these to create proper guidelines and insist your own team use them. Good branding gets to the root of the values and culture of the company. Encourage your people to be company brand stewards.

Maintaining brand character.

This was the next question posed by the Ryerson student. We use our Rapport Marketing Map as a tool to help us do that for ourselves and our clients.

Plot out all your marketing tools around a central goal (your pre-sale action step), then imagine someone not familiar with your company enters at any point, i.e. reading your newsletter. This probably has a link to your website. If they go from the newsletter to the website, what is the experience like, is it consistent? Is it the same kind of language? The same logo, colours and other brand elements? Where might they go from there? Maybe there’s brochures or sell sheets to download. Do they carry the brand character, the look and language?

When you look at your existing tools this way you will spot big and small things to change that can really strengthen that path, but also have a guideline or reminder when you add in something new.

Allow for brand evolution.

Companies are constantly evolving, and therefore so must your brand. Just keep it under control. Look at it regularly, you may need to make small changes, or one day a giant paradigm shift. However, use the Rapport Marketing Map to ensure you aren’t making changes on a whim, or because it fits the need of the day better.

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Article Tags: brand character, brand positioning, consistency, elements, email, font weight, headlines, initial pieces, logo icon, logos, map, marketing efforts, metrics, rapport marketing, ryerson, simple changes, stewards, taglines, target audience, watermark



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