Branding: What’s in a name and a logo?
When it comes to business, one of the most important things which anyone should be remembering is that the aim of your business is to make a name in the industry. When Bill Gates came about, it is a very obvious factor that no one had ever heard of “Microsoft.” Steve Jobs, the father of the Apple made Apple what it is today through hard work and much effort. An idea that came because he was a man who did not like using buttons, Jobs created a phone that revolutionized the mobile industry making other cell phone makers to switch to touch phones. Though in the beginning there is not always instant success, if you keep trying repeatedly without giving up on hope, you will find yourself making a mark in the industry. It does not matter as to whether you have a good name or a bad name as you start off, but of course you want to do your best to retain a good name in the market when you enter first off, the point of fact is that you have a name. It is your duty as a business person to be able to take that name and alter it into a good or bad name.
As every business starts out, it all starts with the spark of an idea. Whether it is an idea that blooms out of something that we find we need, or an idea that is created out of attempting to help others. With each idea whatever it maybe is the beginning of a company. When a business person first gives way to a new company it is because there is a certain product which may contribute to the growth of society. Once the product is created then of course the main strategic plan comes about and that is where the marketing sector comes in.
When it comes to marketing, you have to firstly have a brilliant team of marketers who know the what’s and how’s Now let’s start with an example. Here’s an idea for a business, say an individual wants to start off a toy store because they love making children happy. The objective of the business is to bring a smile and joy to every child. Once you have an idea, the company name which is basically the product name comes about, and that product name has to be something which will make the consumer’s stop their pacing and have them enter the store out of curiosity and excitement. You have to make the consumer’s think and know that your toy store is not just any toy store. You have to give your products a unique selling point which is a term which is quiet often used in the world of advertising.
As your reading this article think not only like a business person but also like an advertiser. See if a business person knows how to market the product, they should think as an advertiser may think and that is how to draw in the consumers. There are many toy stores worldwide. So when it seems like the product which you have an idea. For is already in existence, your job is to make that certain product different from that of the rest that is in the market at the present time. So how does it work? Take a look at what is lacking in the products present in the currency market.
I walked into a Reliance toy store last week in Chennai with my cousins 4 years and 14 year old and of course like anyone else who is still like peter pan at heart I couldn’t help but frolic around the store, playing with the toys. But as I walked around playing with the toys, I realized something, it’s the Christmas season, and looking at the store I didn’t get a Christmas feeling. This is where a new toy store can come about and make their store different from that of all others by decorating or rather over doing a bit of everything when it comes to each season or festival . This could be one of the unique selling point of the product of a toy store. You can go over the top by having a Santa Claus and his elves roaming around in the store and have Santa Claus give out free gifts just for the season to all the children that come and see him. See ideas come when you think from the consumers point of view as well. If you were a consumer of toys whether you are a parent or someone who is gifting someone you know, there are many things which you may think of such as “I wish that these toys had some kind of discount.” Especially when you see the big teddy bears that cost near a Rs. 1000 or more. Anyone would be wishing for discounts. During the holiday seasons there could be discounts and a free gift card which may come with a certain amount of purchases.
The idea of a unique selling point should mainly come about in a very drastic outgoing, consumer drawing manner especially if you are new to the business world and new to the entire market of the product. As you market the product, and you come up with the USP (unique selling point) you will be able to go on about slowly creating a name for yourself in the market.
Creating a name for yourself in the market is probably one of the most difficult tasks to go on about doing especially in today’s market where competition is tough and you have to play hardball in a clever and cunning way all the while keeping a sense of honesty and commitment to satisfy your consumer’s needs and demands. But when it comes to branding, if you are able to create a catchy name, and able to get an advertising agency that you feel can help your product achieve success in the market then you will be able to make your way slowly into the market. Not always will you be able to achieve instant success, but if your lucky enough you may just hit jackpot. But more than usual, the process of branding is a slow one as you have to make the consumer’s feel that they need this certain product, or that if they purchase your product, it is worth their money.
Once consumer’s gets a taste of the product which is being sold to them, they will be able to find that they want to come back for more. It is similar to creating the hook to a serial show or a movie. Give the consumer’s hay they want and satisfy their needs and they will be coming back for more. It is only afterward that word will spread about your product and uniqueness of your product. The oldest form of advertising known to be the word of mouth will be put into practice as consumer’s go about giving positive reviews about your product. Whenever there are negative reviews note it down specifically as rather than taking it in an unwell manner, you can take the negative remarks as rather corrections which will help you to better your mistakes. You will never really learn if you always do the right thing, it is with each mistake you make that you will be able to better yourself. Mistakes serve to be the stairs to success. Once the mistake is corrected then the consumers will see the immense care which your company gives to their feedback which will only bring in positive reviews for the ears given to their word along with the improivisons that were made to satisfy their needs.
So as your product is sold through word of mouth accompanied by various forms of advertisement ranging from television advertisements to print advertisements, your company and product will receive the much needed attention. A key factor in being able to brand your product is the logo and thr colors used for your company or product. An example would be Nike’s logo. If you were to see a check sign anywhere, the name that would come to the common consumer’s mind is the brand Nike. The same would go for the brand Airtel. Airtel’s red logo, when seen anywhere automatically triggers an individual’s sense that it is Airtel. When the logo which you have appointed the advertising agency to create is attractive and able to capture audiences attention, then you will be able to pave a path to becoming a brand in the minds of the common everyday consumer as in today’s market it is the brand which is given more attention too. When you mention to an individual today of the younger generation the word apple, more than likely they will not be thinking of the fruit apple, but Apple the iPhone. In just mentioning the name of the brand or seeing the logo triggers the automatic memory of the brand itself.The powering of branding is something which brings the many products in the market a long way down the road though they may be similar to each other, their unique selling point make it stand out to its specific consumer’s helping the brand to create loyalty within their consumer’s towards their brands.
Denisha Sahadevan
