The best digital marketing agency (we like to think it’s Cowtown Creative) understands that sales aren’t always a priority for every brand, at least not at first. Marketing in the age of digital connection is moving swiftly away from competition for sales, and moving toward competition for relationships.
Branding and marketing have always been connected, but now they’re commingled as companies strive to build relationships through consistency and trust. Before you can launch a cohesive brand strategy, you need to develop a branding and marketing plan built on clear objectives.
Best digital marketing agency practices: Assess, reassess, refine
Let’s take a look at three steps we take to help our clients define and refine priorities as we build a brand. Whether you’re developing a go-to-market strategy or facing a rebrand, all marketing priorities should be reassessed as business goals change.
Step 1: Define product strategy
It seems very basic to define what it is you’re selling, but this part of building a brand strategy is essential because it speaks to your company’s mission and voice. The best digital marketing agency for your business will make sure all stakeholders are aligned on messaging and goals before developing a messaging strategy.
- Know your product and the pain points it addresses.
- Know your audience and their motivation.
- Create consistent messaging that appeals to those specific points.
- Use that messaging everywhere to create a relationship-building consistency your prospects can count on.
Step 2: Build credibility
Trust and credibility go hand-in-hand. If a consumer’s experience with your brand is consistent, trust is a natural by-product.
While providing messaging consistency, offer bits of knowledge through blog posts and digital content that guides the reader to the conclusion that your company is helpful and knowledgeable. Establish your industry expertise by giving some of it away, and you’ll become a credible source of information.
Step 3: Develop contingencies
Any marketer will tell you that planning for the unexpected is essential when building brand strategy. Outline in great detail how your team will handle unexpected issues, negative customer interactions or reviews, and any other bump in the road that could affect the public’s perception of your brand. Have a plan in place to analyze and adjust current practices as your marketing plan is implemented and your brand recognition grows.
Keep assessing and adjusting your priorities
Once you’ve built a marketing plan based on these clearly defined priorities, it’s a good idea to also define how you’ll monitor your brand and what analytics you will use to define success.
Make sure your entire team is aligned and understands how essential every element of the plan is for building a positive brand experience. That experience can then translate into customer trust and loyalty that feeds the long-term success of your business.
That’s what brand strategy is all about, and the best digital marketing agency in Fort Worth (ahem) can help you figure it all out.