“The sole purpose of marketing is to sell more to more people, more often and at higher prices,” Sergio Zyman (former CMO of Coca-Cola) was quite right when he coined this now-famous quote.
For your marketing to work, it first has to resonate with the viewer, and for that to happen, you need a recognized brand.
It’s no secret that the more recognizable your brand is, the more successful your business will be; it’s because consumers are six times more likely to click on a brand they trust.
But if you want yours to become one of the trusted few, you first have to navigate the road to success and build that all-important brand recognition.
To help you get there, we’ve provided you with an easy to read road map of the steps you need to take.
What Is Brand Recognition?
Think of two of your favorite brands, ones you use without a second thought.
Can you see their logo or slogan?
Some other things might now be appearing, a color, a jingle, an ad.
Perhaps they’ve stirred up a feeling, a memory, or an emotion, resonating on a deeper level, something beyond pure consumerism.
If so, that’s what brand recognition is. The ability to connect with your customer using numerous advertising strategies that all enhance the element of trust.
Let’s now talk about how you get it!
How To Build Brand Recognition?
Create A Visual Identity
Start by developing a consistent visual identity (content, color, font, images, videos), this is your brand’s DNA, and it should run through all your marketing campaigns.
You create it around your brand’s voice, it’s purpose, who you are, and why you’re here. Next, add your values, goals, and unique selling point (what you’re offering or how you’re offering it that’s different to everyone else); this is how you’ll make your brand unique to you, so it becomes instantly recognizable wherever it’s used.
Understand Your Target Audience
To connect with your audience, you first need to understand who they are (their demographics). As it’s only when you know what makes them tick, can you create the type of content that will resonate with their emotions.
Several online tools can help you, like Facebook insights, Google analytics, and Instagram analytics. They provide you with the information needed for understanding your audience’s wants and preferences, enabling you to create your content around them.
Build Brand Associations
An excellent way of getting brand recognition is by building brand associations (content representing your brand). Because the more often your audience sees your brand across numerous platforms, the more they’ll remember and trust it.
You can use logos, slogans, images, and videos; these create a strong brand image by conveying its personality, values, and goals. Apply them to all your advertising strategies, like your website header, social media platforms, email signatures, and blogs.
It’s all about reinforcing your name at every available opportunity.
Leverage social media
Once you have your visual identity (created by your target audience’s demographics, likes, and preferences), and the required brand associations in place, you’re ready to leverage the power of social media to create the brand recognition you need to succeed.
Billions of people now use social media when searching for brands and products. And you leverage it by carefully selecting the platforms your target audience are using, by creating strong social proof (testimonials), and encouraging your community to share and promote your brand for you.
You can find out exactly where your market’s hanging out by looking at social media demographics, and discover what type of content’s already working for any established brands in your market place by using an analytical tool like BuzzSumo.
Use Influencer Marketing
Sometimes it pays to buy the trust you need as it speeds up the process of brand recognition; this is where market influencers come into play.
It’s (trust by association), and if you choose the right influencer for your niche, it can provide excellent results.
There are ten types of market influencers, but to get started, you only need to know about two:
- Celebrity influencers: Famous people selling their reputation to businesses by endorsing products or services.
- PROS: A high volume of followers and instant recognition.
- CONS: Might not suit your marketplace, and they’re expensive.
- Micro-influencers: People who are popular within your marketplace and niche.
- PROS: They are more aligned with your brand, so their audience is already interested in your product or service, available at an affordable cost.
- CONS: If you choose the right one, there aren’t any.
You can find the right influencer for your brand by looking at influencer websites.
Need some inspiration?
Shell
Image Credit: Shell
The number one best-known brand in over 50 countries, serving 30 million customers a day, with 11 billion annual transactions, it’s safe to say that shell have successfully created a strong brand recognition.
And they help do it by using influencers and association!
Firstly, there’s the longstanding partnership with Ferrari, the world’s most influential auto brand. But to connect with the non-petrol heads, they had to go a step further.
To achieve this, they enlisted actor Jennifer Hudson and globally known singers Luan Santana, Pixie Lott, Yemi Alade, and Tan WeiWei when making their video `Best Day of My Life, ` as part of their ‘Make the Future’ initiative.
Resulting in an online global phenomenon (211,000,000 Facebook Views – 39,595,132 YouTube Views) and a massive success for Shell in engaging millennials around sustainable energy.
Apple
Image Credit: Apple
Let’s say it as it is, Apple’s following is almost cult-like, with consumers sleeping on streets for days to get the latest release, year in – year out!
The logo has had some changes, now all that’s left is a black silhouette; the fact is, nothing else is needed.
They’ve achieved this level of brand recognition due to a combination of innovative products, unrivaled quality and design, and excellent customer service. Followed up by savvy product release events that served to build upon their ever-hungry target audience.
Sotheby’s International Realty
Image Credit: Sotheby’s International Realty
Real estate logo designs can be generic but not Sotherby’s – here we have a perfect example of market association. They’ve achieved this by using color (in this case blue, sending subliminal messages of strength and trust) and typeface (Classic lower case for their name and a clean uppercase for their slogan). Together they match the high-end quality of the luxury properties they represent.
Microsoft
Image Credit: Microsoft
Keeping it tech, Microsoft simplified their logo in 2012. Gone are the pixelated colors representing forward movement; however, the famous four paned window remains, as it has consistently throughout the years. By doing so, Microsoft created one of the world’s leading examples of brand association. Few need to see the name to know the brand.
FedEx
Image Credit: FedEx
FedEx uses color as their primary design tactic, enabling them to use the one logo for all of its numerous sub-divisions. All they have to do is change the color of the Ex, simple!
- Grey: Corporation
- Red: Fright
- Orange: Express
- Green: Ground
- Yellow: Trade networks
The subliminal message in their logo creates a strong connection with its audience’s needs (the arrow between the E and the X, conveying speed and delivery), everything a delivery service could offer.
