Brand messaging mistakes. Are you making them?

Think for a second about your favourite brand. The brand that you feel speaks to you as an individual. A brand, which tone of voice really captures your attention.

Now think how they achieve making you feel that way. Do you feel they understand you and your needs? Do they talk in such a way you speak? Or do they simply use words that entice you and make you feel at their mercy.

The number one rule, I find, which makes branding a piece of cake is to understand your audience. To understand how they speak, which words they use, what they want to feel and gain through using your brand or brand services. By understanding how they speak, you will be able to have a chance to really connect with your audience, while marketing in a natural, cool way.

Not appealing to your customers’ values

Try not to generate your whole message on your values, generate your message around your customers’ values too. Understand what their core values are in order to appeal to them.

Trying to cash in on the moment’s ‘Buzzwords’

Be authentic and original in your choice of words. Using all of the popular words may keep you current, however a lot of them are also overused, meaning their impact may not be that great after all. Stay original and don’t get caught up.

Complicating your brand message

Word of mouth is a great way to get new business, for people to spread the word about how fantastic your brand is. Ensure that the message you are portraying is broken down and simple enough for people to easily slip it into a conversation. No-one likes leaving a conversation and thinking ‘oh, what was that again?’

Don’t encourage yawns

Make sure you message is full of energy and excitement, use words that inspire and appeal to your audiences senses. Make them feel how you want them to feel. If you want them to buy into your brand, make sure they feel the benefit, literally. The same applies for imagery- visuals are incredibly powerful at appealing to emotions, trigger the emotional side of your viewer that intrigues and creates a sense of curiosity.

Two examples of recent Facebook posts that I felt had a lot of substance were from Disney and Oprah. Disney’s caught my attention through the power of simplicity;  ‘Love can give life colour…’ (Feb 2014) I felt the post presented an powerful image of happiness and hope, something their movies never fail to portray and make you feel.

Oprah’s post, expressed repetition of ‘beautiful’ amongst a story-telling style note;  ‘Loved these beautiful orchids from Ellen DeGeneres and note: “Have a beautiful day & night, and let it bleed into the next day…And evening and then that’s enough.”#goodadvice’  (Jan 2014). The use of vivid words and the gentle, optimistic approach, transported me to relate it to how I would like to feel; I would like a beautiful day and night that continues to the next. Being a here and now, live in the moment girl, I could instantly connect.

I’m not a marketing person. I don’t ask myself questions. I go by instinct.
Karl Lagerfeld

Think Fresh. Keep it Cool. And Grow your audience through engaging content and cool marketing.