The “holiday” we didn’t see coming: How do you need to change the way you do business?
Part I: Brand development
South Africa has been forced to wrestle with an uncomfortable truth: the world is constantly changing, and you either learn to change with it, or you go under. As we confront a 21-day lockdown, starting on Thursday, 26 March, many other truths will rise to the surface. The only way forward is to prepare yourself as much as possible.
The central message that’s reverberating throughout the web and social media is that companies are doing business as usual.
But what does this mean at a time when it feels like the carpet is being pulled out from under us?
What does this mean if employees are suddenly working away from each other and the resources, structures, and processes that keep them motivated?
What does this mean if many businesses can’t rely on foot traffic and can’t produce products because there aren’t any workers?
This is a tricky puzzle – one that Insignia Advertising can help you solve step for step, so read on to find out how you need to develop your brand in today’s world.
How to develop your brand
There’s no getting around it. You’ll have to change your marketing strategies to keep current customers and to get new ones because you can’t rely on brick-and-mortar shops or branches, face-to-face consulting, or marketing efforts that centre around events, conferences, showrooms, etc. Right now, it’s about survival, and this is the mindset that must inform your investment decisions.
Consider the following changes at the strategic and tactical levels when it comes to brand development:
- Cut the long-term campaigns
Reduce your investments in long-term campaigns that require time to build momentum, and rather drive short-term sales and business outcomes as you keep brand-building alive.
- Make your brand useful
People are not interested in fluff or luxury right now – they care about what’s useful. Think about the details of being in a lockdown situation and list what people will find useful under these conditions.
- Brand visibility is key
In marketing there’s a phenomenon known as “the mere exposure effect” where customers develop a preference for your brand just because they’ve seen it so often. Brand visibility never gets old, and these days it can be done with very little money. For example, Google Ads are a terrific way to keep your brand visible at a low cost because you only pay per click. Or focus on creating high-quality content that will get traction on social media and push people to your website.
- Show off your achievements
Leverage your past successes to create future success! If you’ve had high-profile customers who are willing to give you a testimonial, make sure you plaster this all over your site and social media adverts to build brand authority.
- Drive solutions for societal issues
Make your brand stand out as a driver for social change. Any company can add a hashtag to show they support a social cause, but unless your brand can offer tangible solutions to what is going on in society, your brand will be perceived as distastefully riding the lasts social justice wave for gain. If you’re the kind of company that can step in with a solution to what society is suffering from, then make it happen and make people aware of the good you’re doing!
How can Insignia help?
Brand development is one of Insignia’s top services. Insignia can identify where your best short-term sales will come from and how to market these effectively to ensure a steady income stream. As an agency that shapes and develops brands as they evolve, we are also equipped to position your brand as useful during this volatile time, helping you stay relevant. If you can solve for societal challenges, we’ll help you spread awareness of the good you’re doing.
In terms of content creation, we offer everything you need, from engaging copy to eye-catching designs that communicate what your brand is all about. We’ll also infuse your content with the energy of past success by integrating testimonials and positive feedback, showcasing your company’s strengths.
Stay tuned for future blogs that will delve into changes you also need to make to your:
- Digital marketing
- Social media marketing
- Internal communications
- Web & SEO
Get your head in the game and start thinking creatively! And if you need support and guidance to get everything up and running, the Insignia Advertising team is on standby, ready to get going. Contact us on 083 631 5417/ 082 801 0223 or at https://insigniaadvertising.co.za/contact/
