Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Online Branding Strategy

No matter what you sell, this is one of the most important aspects of your business. What am I talking about? Your online branding strategy. It is one of the most basic components of all companies, and is so important, that it could in fact make the difference between succeeding and succumbing to your competition. But what exactly does it mean? And how do you make sure yours is what it should be? Read on to learn more.

Your brand is what makes you and your company different from anyone else’s. While it might be more of a perceived difference than an actual one, its significance is vital nonetheless. Why should a customer buy your product instead of the one sitting right next to it on the store shelves? Why should they walk into your store instead of the one across the street? The answers to these questions lie in the brand that you are promoting.

You need to position your company in a certain way that will make it stand out from the rest in the industry. Do you want to be the young, innovative, and edgy company? Or is yours more of a traditional and trustworthy company? Are you out to offer the customer value and low prices? Or is yours for those who are willing to pay more for higher quality goods? These are all questions you need to have the answers to before you can get your company’s brand on track.

Think of your online branding strategy as the way in which you are going to communicate your brand to the market. How are you going to get your message across? Who do you want to reach? Where and when are you going to distribute your messages? And, finally, what exactly is that message? You need to be sure of these questions before you begin, because consistency is one of the key elements of a successful strategy.

The value of a brand lies in the very fact that it is something that should always be with your company. If you are changing your company’s brand every month, then you might as well not have one. A brand needs to be consistent so that it can grow over time. That does not mean being inflexible to the changing times, but rather staying on course.

Brands allow your customers to get a sense of your company before they ever step into your store or buy your product. That intrinsic value can often propel companies to the top almost overnight. Just take a look at Coca-Cola and Nike, two of the most powerful corporate brands in the world.

If your company is going to succeed out there in the fiercely competitive market, it is going to need a strong oline branding strategy. Get a solid grasp of what you want your company to be about, who you want to reach, and what makes you special and different from the rest. Without that, there is no hope of ever rising to the top.

Gerald Franklin
You Google Me

2 comments:

kurt mitchell said...

You are right about branding of yourself taking some time. It does not happen over night. But something built slow and steady makes a very good foundation for success.

Kurt Mitchell

John Raines said...

i totally agree with the fact that your branding must portray a consistent message, great point

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