Vishal BhatiaA Guide on How to Have Effective Marketing and Branding Campaigns that Will Provide You with the Best Results
Are you getting tired of marketing campaigns that don’t seem to be producing the results that you want? Are you looking to turn things around – and for a change – actually engage in campaigns that can actually bring you profits and income?
We will be discussing the main essence of marketing and branding – and how certain norms are not really applicable at all times. This is in light of the fact that some marketing strategies are only effective for established companies, while there are those that are best for newer ones…
So, do you want to know the effective marketing and branding principles that every entrepreneur should know? In that case, please continue reading this article…
First Things First: Don’t Presume You Know Everything about Marketing
This is a basic marketing rule. Unfortunately, this rule is the one which most entrepreneurs and marketers usually break. Why? Well, this is probably because of the fact that we are exposed to so many ads, commercials and promotions everyday – that we consequently think that we have become experts in the field. But is that really the case?
Remember: Seeing thousands of commercials and marketing ads everyday does not make you an expert in the field. Interaction and familiarity with these marketing campaigns can help you – but it will not necessarily make you the authority on the subject. Hence, you should continue learning what you need to know and do more research. By doing so, you’ll be able to make things even more effective on your end.
Marketing strategies have been specifically designed to be easily understood by humans. As such, they will give out specific and clear messages – all meant to make you do certain things (usually to make purchases). And though you may understand the message and its purpose – there are still some things that you might not really know about how a particular company’s marketing strategy has been formulated.
In short, the message here is simple: do not act on mere presumptions. You should only invest in concrete and effective marketing strategies that you’ve actually studied and researched. This is what professional marketing and branding is all about – and this is what you should be doing.
Why The Term “Branding” Is Cool and Sexy…
Branding has become a favorite term of many entrepreneurs and business people. This term is usually related to a company’s success – which is why over the years, the term has become a “sexy” and “cool” term.
There is a problem, however. Many of those who are looking to establish their brands usually act on their pre-conceived notions and presumptions as to how the most popular brand names have reached their status – and not really on how these guys actually did it. Obviously, this can be a very risky and unwise move.
If you want to establish your business brand – then your aim should be about getting the results that you want. Remember that business is about making your business grow and earning more profits. These are the things you should be focusing on (and not how people will perceive you).
With that in mind, let’s differentiate the 2 main types of branding:
Defensive Branding
This type of branding is actually used by companies who already have established their brand names (think of McDonalds, Apple, Nike, etc). Its purpose is to retain a company’s market share and prevent it from incurring market-losses. Of course, this is also used to attract potential clients and customers as well.
If you are an established company and are already on the “top”, then chances are – you will have competitors who will try to pull you down and get a fair share of your market. Defensive branding is about preventing that from happening. It’s about making sure that you stay on top – and for things to remain that way.
Presently, billions of dollars are being spent on defensive branding strategies. And this is not really that much of a problem, considering that these companies (being as successful as they are) most likely have the financial capabilities to do so.
The question now is: do growing companies need to perform defensive branding campaigns? Is this really the way to go? Before we answer that question, let’s move on to direct branding first.
Direct Branding
This type of branding is actually used for gaining market share – and not necessarily to prevent market loss. As such, this holds enormous benefits for businesses that are still starting up or are still in the process of growing.
Direct branding is actually a means of supporting your direct marketing efforts. In other words, your focus should be on the marketing aspect first. Your branding campaign will then supplement your marketing campaigns and make your message even stronger.
Remember: your goal in business should be about reaching more people and enticing them to make purchases from you. And if you are able to do this properly and effectively via proper marketing and branding efforts – you are certainly on the right track.
With all of this in mind, let’s now answer the question I posed earlier. Should a growing company use defensive branding methods for their own business campaigns? The answer is: “it depends.”Take note: it doesn’t mean that since McDonalds and Nike spends millions (even billions) of dollars in their marketing campaigns – then you should too. Again, look into the purposes of their strategies and efforts. Is that the same purpose that you are intending for your own campaigns?
There’s one very good piece of marketing advice for growing companies that I heard recently. It said: “market your company the way the big companies did when they were still small and growing – and not when they have already become successful.”
What do you think is the reason for this statement? The answer is quite simple. You and those big companies have different purposes for your marketing campaigns. However, if you are able to use the strategies and principles that these big companies used when they were still trying to grow into what they are now – then there’s a chance that you will reach the same level of success they have.
In the end, one thing is clear. We need to constantly learn about how to market our businesses and to establish our brands, in order to make our businesses better. This is the only way to go about business. And if you are able to bring and keep yourselves on the right track, then there’s no reason why you won’t be able to achieve your goals.
