HOW TO BUILD A TOP BRAND – with real examples
The brand which is a promise of value is what people are actually buying in a product or services. It is the justification that help customers to validation their buying decisions. Buyers could be mostly impulsive, the rationality they need for their decision is the strength of the brand backing the product.
The strength of the brand on the other hand might also attract premium would often be above the average market price of similar products. Good case in point are top brands like Apple and its iPhone. Rolex watch etc.
This is why it is an utmost desire of every business to be among the most desirable and most patronized brand in the market. They would go the whole length, leaving no stone unturn in achieving visibility and consumer satisfaction. However, not too many are doing it the right way, and the effect of this will definitely show in growth and sustainability.
In our highly competitive market where we are daily bombarded with varieties from waking moment till going to bed, where consumer’s attention span and taste are fast changing, it’s no more the major corporations that care about their perception which ultimately affects consumer’s behavior, everybody does.
In this intro on how to become a top brand, I highlighted some of the key action points that, if properly followed and implemented, will always differentiate between top guys and those following. The objective is to make this an essential guide for those just starting up and those already in the market and wondering what to do next.
Hope it help in your brand building endeavor.
INTRO Eds
- Define Your Unique Value Proposition: The first point of call is to clearly articulate what sets your brand apart from competitors and how it provides unique value to customers. This is the real thing that consumers are paying for not just your wares. It’s your promise and the expectation they have when they consume your products or services.
For example, coca cola’s proposition is ‘Open Happiness’ That is whenever you take coke, you should be happy. Take Slot Nigeria, a popular consumer device retailer across Nigeria, their value proposition or what they want you to think about whenever you encounter them, either buying a product or just seeing their name is ‘Peace of Mind’ That is, whenever consumer buy any of their devices, they want you to be sure that you are getting the real thing. And if you have any issues, they are always delighted to help as quick as possible, the way it should be anyway. They have consistently lived up to this that people can just get devices from them without a second thought.
Another good example is Uber ‘The smartest way to get around’ but isn’t this true? They have succeeded in revolutionized personal transportation across major cities. Imagine a Lagos, Paris, Manchester Chicago or any other 21st century cities without Uber or any of the other e-hailing services which it pioneered and still takes the lead.
So, the value proposition – that is what to expect from you, have to be articulately stated. It didn’t end there; the brand also has to live up to its expectation. That is when the brand earn equity and can even charge a premium from the consumers overtime.
- Clearly Define Your Target Audience: The second point here will be to have a primary target audience. There are hardly any product or services for everybody, not even water. Various brands of portable waters have their unique audience that they target with communications primarily. Understand your target audience’s demographics, psychographics, and pain points. By understanding/defining the audience, you are able to tailor your brand messaging, marketing efforts, and product offerings to resonate with their needs and aspirations.
Let’s see some examples. Jumia is a leading e-commerce platform in Nigeria. Their target audience consists of tech-savvy individuals who prefer the convenience of online shopping, particularly the younger population who are active internet users – Nigerian is relatively youthful anyway.
Indomie is a popular instant noodle brand in Nigeria. They have a well-defined target audience of young individuals, students, and families who seek quick and convenient meal options. Their marketing campaigns often focus on affordability, taste, and versatility.
Red Bull is an energy drink brand that primarily targets young adults and extreme sports enthusiasts. Their marketing campaigns often feature adrenaline-pumping activities like extreme sports, motorsports, and music events, appealing to an audience seeking excitement and a boost of energy. And it works in attracting the audience.
- Build Strong Brand Identity: Brand identity encompass your entire assemblages, from the logo, coloration, font, images, point of contacts and every other look and feel. Top brands must develop strong and memorable brand identity that aligns with its target audience and resonates with their values.
Consumer sees these before they even buy your products/services and a not so aligned or attractive identity can easily discourage and repel people from the brand. While simplicity is the rule of designs these days, ‘simple’ need to be attractive at the same time. It has to be quite inviting. This is why a lot of brands are changing and rebranding their look and feels to become more appealing to the target audience.
Examples of known brands with reputation for strong identity are MTN, a leading telecommunications company in Nigeria. They have a distinctive brand identity that is recognized for their wide network coverage, innovative services, and their strong association with connectivity and communication. The Coca-Cola brand is arguably the most recognizable brands in the world with a strong brand identity built around happiness, refreshment, and togetherness. Their red and white logo, catchy slogans, and memorable advertising campaigns have established a sense of nostalgia and emotional connection with consumers.
- Develop a Compelling Brand Story: The art of storytelling has been a strategic way of connecting with audience, not just for products and services, but also in other areas where audience are essential. A top brand must craft compelling brand narrative that connects with its target audience on an emotional level. Share the story of your brand’s purpose, values, and mission to create a strong and relatable identity. It should be such a story that evoke emotional connection such that help them to relate with your brand.
Nike does this well with its story that revolves around empowering athletes and inspiring people to push their limits. Their “Just Do It” campaign has been successful in conveying a message of determination, overcoming obstacles, and achieving greatness.
Another example is Airbnb’s brand story that revolves around the idea of belonging and creating unique travel experiences. They emphasize the concept of “belong anywhere” by showcasing diverse accommodations and promoting local experiences, fostering a sense of community and cultural exchange. In short, they make you feel at home, away from home.
- Deliver Exceptional Quality: Consistently provide high-quality products, services, and experiences that exceed customer expectations. This cant be over emphasized. Nobody wants to buy the inferior quality product. Any consumer or industrial products or services provider must endeavor to make good quality products. Consumers arent loyal again, there are always alternative product begging for attention. Any slight perception of bad quality, they fly away. The bad part is, they always take other alongside in the flight. ‘A satisfied customer tells 3 people, but a dissatisfied customer tells the whole world”
Some brands that exemplify this quality traits are Rolex, a luxury watch brand, known for its precision, craftsmanship, and durability. They have established a strong reputation for producing high-quality timepieces that are coveted for their reliability and timeless design. Mercedes-Benz is another example. The renowned automobile manufacturer is synonymous with luxury, performance, and engineering excellence. Their vehicles are recognized for its superior build quality, advanced technology, and driving experience.
Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), a leading financial institution who has garnered a reputation for providing excellent banking services is another example. They are known for their efficient customer service, innovative digital banking solutions, and commitment to delivering seamless banking experience.
These brands have earned the trust and loyalty of consumers by consistently delivering products and services of exceptional quality, meeting customers’ expectations and contributing to their success in the market.
- Foster Customer Loyalty: The simple magic wand of earning customer loyalty is to live your value proposition and be there whenever they need help in the usage of your products/services. With this, brands are able to build long-term relationships with customers. Brands can even go as far as delivering personalized experiences, exceptional customer service, and loyalty programs. The end result is a long list of consumers who becomes your advocates, brand ambassador and could become fanatical about your brand on the long run.
Some examples of brands that have master the art of fostering customer’s loyalty overtimes are: iPhone, Amazon, a global e-commerce giant known for its customer-centric approach. They have built customer loyalty through their fast and reliable delivery, extensive product selection, personalized recommendations, and excellent customer service. Starbucks is a renowned coffeehouse chain that has cultivated a loyal customer base. They have created a unique and consistent coffeehouse experience. Their loyalty program, Starbucks Rewards, further encourages repeat purchases and customer engagement.
- Embrace Innovation: We live in a fast-changing world. Yesterday methods are far too outdated for today’s market. Continuously innovating and adapting to stay ahead of market trends, offering new and improved products, services, or processes are some of the thought and actions points that should guide any brand that want to achieve the ‘Top brand’ status.
Let’s take the customer services and experience as examples. It was good enough to have call centres, where staffs respond and help consumers in getting through concerns or problems with products, but today, artificial intelligent is changing a lot of things with tools like the Raina customer service chatbot, a 24/7 consumer centre that mimic human conversation styles in attending to consumers. It doesn’t go on break or holidays, no waiting time, real time conversation and solution to all consumers complains. This has been implemented by several consumer goods brands and manufacturing firms etc and the result has been enormous in better consumer relationship, Apple, Netflix easily comes to mind. In Nigeria, the likes of Flutterwave, a fintech brand that has made significant innovations in the digital payment space. They provide a secure and seamless platform for online and offline payments, supporting various payment methods and currencies, and enabling businesses to transact easily across borders. Another is Andela, a Nigerian technology company that is revolutionizing the software development industry. They have created an innovative model for talent sourcing and training, connecting African software engineers with global companies and helping to bridge the tech skills gap and many more.
- Cultivate Brand Advocates: Just like the example above, a satisfied customer will most likely tell another. However, it isn’t excessive aggression to encourage satisfied customers to become brand advocates by sharing their positive experiences, testimonials, and referrals. This has been massively used to convert new customers by showing what others are experiencing. You can even go as far as offering incentive for anyone that share their testimony.
Network marketers have perfected this for many decades. Without advertisement or other marketing activities, they kept expanding by encouraging every user to tell another and tell more people. Its now a common practice to see ‘testimonies’ as major feature on consumer brands website, some, even on their home pages.
- Engage in Effective Marketing: This is not just marketing, but effective marketing. These are the strategies and tactics that a company used to promote products, services, or brands in a way that successfully reaches and engages the target audience, drives desired actions or behaviors, and ultimately achieves business objectives.
This should involves firstly identifying, creating and delivering messages, content, and experiences that resonate with the target audience, generate interest, and foster long-term relationships. Effective marketing involves a combination of research, planning, creativity, communication, and measurement to maximize the impact of marketing efforts.
Some of the most effective marketing techniques around today however, include social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, influencer marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO)
Everybody markets however, brands like Globacom, popularly called Glo does theirs strategically. They popularize celebrity endorsement for strategic marketing in Nigeria. They also engaged in strategic sponsorship of popular sports and festivals that attract large crowd.
- Build a Strong Online Presence: is there any business without an online presence these days anyway? But just an online presence with a website is grossly inadequate again. A top brand had to establish a robust online presence through a well-designed website, active social media profiles, and engaging content to increase brand visibility and reach on all online touch points.
In Nigeria, there is hardly any major brand without good online presence. GTBank has been quite innovative in its online presence through website, mobile banking app and other digital touch points. They provide a range of digital banking services, including online account management, money transfers, and bill payments. GTBank’s online presence has helped them cater to customers’ banking needs conveniently and efficiently. Linda Ikeji’s Blog, a popular Nigerian entertainment and lifestyle blog, has built a strong online presence by providing timely and engaging content. Konga, a Nigerian e-commerce platform is another good example of brands that has mastered the art of online engagement with the implementation of digital marketing strategies, including social media campaigns and email marketing, to engage with customers and drive online sales.
Various research indicates that most consumers these days check out the brand, its products and services feature online before final buying decision. Moreso, social media platforms, since they go hand with mobile devices has also become one of the most effective marketing platforms for the top brands. So, a strong online presence has become a strategic engagement platform, which has helped many brands, particularly, upcoming brands in getting more face time and engagement with the consumers.
- Focus on Customer Experience: The reason you are in business is because there are people (customers) that patronize your business. ‘Consumers are Kings’ as the saying goes. It’s essential to prioritized customer experience at every touchpoint, ensuring a seamless and positive journey from discovery to purchase and beyond.
Airbnb easily comes to mind here. They focus on providing unique and personalized experiences for travelers. They connect travelers with hosts who offer a range of accommodations and activities, allowing guests to immerse themselves in local culture. Airbnb’s platform encourages direct communication between hosts and guests, fostering a sense of trust and creating memorable experiences. Access Bank is another example of brands that places a strong emphasis on customer experience. They offer innovative digital banking solutions, convenient branch services, and personalized customer support.
Monitor and Adapt: Regardless of how sophisticated your plan are, there will always be some changes along the lines of implementation. So, top brand needs to monitor, and always be ready to adapt to changes in trend as it comes. Look at how AI revolutionizing the entire world and the digital eco-system today, you can now create better content and 24/7 engagement for customer services and so much more with AI, many of which are even free to continuously monitor market trends, customer feedback, and competitor activities. Adapt your strategies, offerings, and messaging to stay relevant and meet evolving customer needs. So, top brand will necessarily be very aware and flow with the trend as they happen.
In addition to this, a top brand needs to have a periodic assessment and or auditing of the brand activities to know if goals are being achieved.
By implementing these key points, you can position your brand as a top player and the most sought-after choice in your industry, attracting loyal customers and achieving sustainable growth.
If this content helps you in anyway kindly drop me a line in the comment section. Even if it doesn’t, still let me know, we learns from each other.
