Let’s Play A Game! Subject: Brand Awareness

Unpack the importance of brand awareness and brand recognition for a business

“If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.” - Howard Schultz, Businessman

Table of Contents

1. How Unique Is Your Brand
2. Branding Questions
3. Brand Recognition Is Essential for Sustaining Your Business
4. Your Brand Experience Should Connect With Your Audience

Effective marketing of your brand and business is essential for awareness, visibility, and audience engagement. To sustain endeavors, it’s essential that brands are recognizable and distinguishable within their industries. Therefore, creating and establishing a brand experience highlights the uniqueness of the business. 

How Unique is Your Brand

Game #1 

Let’s play a game. Grab a sheet of paper and something to write with, or use the “Notes” app on your phone. 

Name a shoe company, a clothing line, and a restaurant. Do you have your answers? 

Now, answer the questions below. 

• Why did you pick that shoe company, clothing line, and restaurant?
• Are these your favorites?
• Did you recently purchase something from the shoe company, clothing line, or restaurant?

Do you have time to play another game?

Game #2 

Jot down your favorite shoe company, clothing line, and restaurant. 

Now, answer the three questions below. 

• Are your answers the same as the first game?
• Why are these brands your favorite?
• Would you recommend others to purchase something from these brands?

Thank you for playing these two games. It wasn’t bad, right? I don’t have any more games for now, but I have more questions.

Branding Questions

Think about your brand and answer the questions below.

1. Is your brand recognizable like the brands you named during Games #1 and #2? 
2. If your brand is not recognizable, why isn’t it? Do you need a boost in brand awareness, brand visibility, or audience engagement?)
3. What can you improve to make your brand recognizable?

Brand Recognition is Essential for Sustaining Your Business

Each brand you named during Games #1 and #2 had something unique about its brand that stood out to you. Think about it. Why is your favorite shoe your favorite shoe? Why is your favorite clothing line your favorite clothing line? Why is your favorite restaurant your favorite restaurant? 

Every answer from Games #1 and #2 is connected to a brand experience. Your preference is based on a solution they provide that you actually like. Have you ever thought about a brand that way?

Think about your brand and business. What is a signature product, good or service that you provide to your clients or customers? Is it a “secret” seasoning or ingredient on a food item? A gadget? A specialty beverage? An article of clothing with a specific phrase? 

What makes people see your business and go, “Ah-ha! I need that.”

This is the beginning of making your brand recognizable. Everyone doesn’t need your business. However, there is a group of people who are your target audience. (More about that in another blog).  To get your brand to the right people, you have to be clear on the signature product or service that distinguishes you from others in your business category or industry.

Now that you have identified the product, good or service that makes your business unique, answer the questions below. 

• How are you currently sharing the brand experience with your audience? 
• Does your audience know about your unique value to the marketplace? 
• How are you packaging your product, good or service to be recognizable?

Do you mind if we play one more game? It’s the last one in this blog. I promise.

Game 3

Fill in the blank

1. If someone gives you a Tiffany’s Blue Box, you expect to see ___________. 
2. If you receive a package with a Nike swoosh logo, you are hoping to find _________________.
3. If someone says to you, “I’m loving it,” what is the first thing you think about?_____________________

(Correct answers: 1. Jewelry 2. Shoes or Apparel 3. McDonald's)

Whether it’s packaging, a logo, a jingle, or a slogan, there is something that should make your business distinguishable from others. What is something people can find recognizable about your business? Something that’s consistent, no matter what?

That “thing” you identified as “unique” is part of your business’s branding experience. It could be the brand colors, font, logo, jingle, slogan, packaging, or display.

Your Brand Experience Should Connect With Your Audience

Remember this: Your brand experience leaves a memorable impression on current and prospective customers and clients, fueling word-of-mouth marketing for your business.

• Bentley provides a luxurious experience 
• Chick-fil-A offers excellent customer service 
• Banana Republic produces quality fashionable items
  
  

The experiences provided by each brand garner respect. Let’s say someone didn’t have an experience that met the brand’s standards. You’ll expect them to right that wrong, correct?

Here are a few closing questions.

1. What is your brand’s experience?
2. What is the standard of care that your brand provides customers and clients?
3. How do you want people to talk about your brand when you’re not in the room?

Your brand experience dictates if someone returns as a client or customer and eventually becomes a brand ambassador or loyalist. This is also correlated to the process of making your brand recognizable. 

Wrap Up

Your business reflects your brand. The brand experience keeps people connected to the business, and a recognizable brand sustains a business. 

Be clear about what your business offers and create an experience around that signature product, good, or service. Be unique in the approach that can only be traced to your business. No need to compete with other companies when you’re clear on what makes your brand stand out. 

Remember to stay in your marketing bag and expand your brand. 

Resource: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/branding