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Jan 29, 2014
What exactly do in your company as far as products or services?
Besides having a website and being on social media. I highly suggest Pinterest as a form of building your brand because you have something that can be very visual. It is relatively low cost as well.
Make sure that you have something that is unique and stands out from all the other brands that are similar to yours. Maybe look into having 3D printed gifts. Something that is new and innovative and can help you stand out.
Jan 29, 2014
We are into corporate gifting we provide customize gifts eg: wall clocks, trable clocks, \handicrafts, apprels, mugs, vessels, dinner sets, electrical gifts and many more
Feb 4, 2014
If one thinks of branding as a process worth developing (and I do); then, I recommend that you Brand your culture.
Whether you know it or not, your business already has both. Usually, we don’t realize it because both are not what we want them to be in the beginning.
A brand connotes consistency, shows what you stand for and creates expectation of a level of attention, quality and service. It has meaning for everyone connected with it, including prospects, customers and employees.
A culture is the personification of your business. Does your culture encourage knowledge growth, personal development, time for family life and openness with the staff? I think it should, and many of human resource policies are intended to strengthen not only the work environment but also our lives. If a staff member needs something out of the ordinary—to bring a child to work, for example—do we accommodate them?
A brand is not a logo, and a culture is not measured in free lunches for the staff on Saturdays.
A healthy office culture is established by frequent and effective communication between management and staff and respecting them as responsible people. Pleasant working conditions are part of our culture, too.
The result of having Brand and Culture in sync can be a consistent focus on level of attention, quality or service. It’s your brand.
Jan 29, 2014
Hi Shikhar,
Congrats on you're gifting company.
I would suggest that developing a brand is about owning space in the mind of the consumer. Most people think it's the logo, but simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from your competitors'. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.
Defining your brand is like a journey of business self-discovery. It requires, at the very least, that you answer the questions below:
What is your company's mission?
What are the benefits and features of your products or services?
What do your customers and prospects already think of your company?
What qualities do you want them to associate with your company?
Best of luck.
Velma
Velma M. Knowles, MBA
Jan 29, 2014
Hi Shikhar,
The key to successful branding is to set yourself apart from your competitors. What do you have in the way of product or service that is unique? Once you have established what it is that sets you apart, that becomes the core of your brand. Around that core you develop all your messaging and materials, both for social media and marketing materials. If you plan this all out, then you will have the consistency that you need to build your brand....look at how all the major brands establish themselves.....think Nike and their "just do it" message as an example.
Jan 29, 2014
DIFFERENTIATION from the competition is the heart and foundation of all successful branding. You need to pound that differentiation message consistently in everything you put out.
It's also critical to look professional and major-league. Look like a key player from day one. Never look small or small-time. Never look like a start-up.
And you need to make sure your differentiation marketing message gets to your target audience(s). Repeatedly. Regularly. If it doesn't, you're just shouting in the wind, and nothing will come of it.
Al Shultz
Jan 29, 2014
Begin thinking about what your target market customer experience, and what you would experiences as a buyer of your products, services, or professional services.
Be consistent with your imaging, establish strong brand presence in your sell-to markets. Effective branding ends up actually being the take-away and perceptive experience when one thinks, imagines, and conceptualizes your brand(s), and the experiences they had engaging with your brand(s) which creates future goodwill and brand strength, brand equity, and value.
Jan 29, 2014
Shikhar, Most people confuse a brand with brand indicia--logos, color schemes and identifiers. Focus on your brand essence--the unique and differentiated experience you are providing. Are you offering 24 hour turnaround? Free delivery? Money-back guarantees?
Jan 29, 2014
Building a brand is not only about the visual image, it is about who/what you are. List out who your market is. Age range. Income. Don't just say, "everyone." Narrow it down. Be as detailed as you can. Figure out who your competitors are. List what your differences are. Include other advice from others like Velma. I like her comment. Then ask, "do I need a logo?" Maybe for a visual you just need a font or color. However, if you decide to have a logo created, remember not to include everything in that one visual. A logo is just part of the visual brand. Keep it simple and clean.
Jan 29, 2014
There are three first steps: 1) Logo, 2) Slogan and 3) Purpose. The first two are simple, the third means what, who and why would someone use your gifting products? What is the typical client and how much would you expect them to spend per order. Then you can develop an advertising program from traditional media and Internet options. This is a step by step process that should be followed. It may take a few months to develop and execute, but done in proper order will give you a great result.
Jan 29, 2014
This is far too large a question to be answered in a few paragraphs.
here are a few points that spring to mind.
* Have effective systems in place that allow you to exceed the expectations of your customers.
* Create unique offers that are irresistible. (aka Mafia offer) Offers that your client will feel foolish for not taking you up on.
* Have a system for escalating customers from a low value front end product or service to a high end package. This allows them to try you at a low risk to them.
* Collect testimonials and display them in all of your marketing
There are about 10,000 more pages I could write.
Lastly, hire someone who knows about marketing and positioning as the learning curve will take you years. years when you could be making money .
Cheers,
Mike Noone
PS: Smart professionals don't do DIY
Jan 29, 2014
You need to investigate your company, everything it does, who does it and how. Unearth your USP and market that.
Alternatively employ a design company to help you do it, why not try Cinter Design?
Feb 3, 2014
Shikhar, this is a very complex question that I will try to answer simply in 2 parts: First, you need to define what your brand stands for. Then you need to develop a plan to build your brand through story-doing.
Story-doing is key to building your brand from the inside-out... by inculcating your brand promise and values deeply into the fabric of your company's culture. Many people skip this important step and jump to advertising and promotion. That's the biggest mistake an entrepreneur can make. That's because word of mouth is by far the biggest driver for building brand awareness, relevance and preference. This requires authentic, two-way communication and branded service encounters executed by your employees.
The good news is that defining your brand story and developing a roadmap to communicate it doesn't have to be drawn out and expensive. But it does require having the right expertise. A reputable brand consultant can help expedite the process.
I wish you well with this initiative, Shikhar, Feel free to reach out if you need anything further.
Mar 11, 2014
You need to identify your USP, and your target market first - be specific with the target market as if you aren't you will get lost in trying to be too many things to too many people.
Once you know your target market, do some research into what they are talking about and where i.e. are they on Facebook, Twitter etc. You can Promote your products very effectively via Pinterest if set up and maintained properly.
The other thing is you need to invest in a good visual image that is consistent across all platforms you use, so people recognise your brand wherever they find you.
Once you have all that, get online and get talking to people - join in discussions, join groups etc and answer questions.
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