Recently I attended a 70s party – there were people wearing platform shoes, big hair and safari suits – the atmosphere was great, the food was retro, and it was a memorable night. I believe that my love of a good costume carries into my love of a well themed party – where the invitation, the dress code, the decorations, the food, everything is focused around a main idea. That’s how I roll when I party plan – just ask my kids about their Lego, superhero and gingerbread house parties. Some call it over the top; I call it leaving a lasting impression.

I’m sure that my commitment to a party theme must stem from my inner marketer, as the concept is much the same as branding. Business Dictionary.com defines branding as

The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers’
mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.

Just like most people, I too want my parties to stand out in the minds of my friends. I want them to remember the great experience they had, remember all the little touches that I added to fit the theme, have them post photos from my party on Instagram because they liked it so much, and rave about the party over lunch with their colleagues and friends.

Similarly, in business, we should be aiming to model the “great party” concept when it comes to the brands we manage and own. Creating a consistent and memorable brand message in all the ways your business communicates, starts with:

• considering what you want to say and how you want to say it (use your vision, mission and values as a springboard for thinking)
• what products or services you offer (think about your core products and services)
• who your perfect customers are, and what they care about

Then it takes a little planning to line up your message with each of the ways you communicate.

At The Marketing Box, we sometimes need to remind business owners and operators, that their brand is much more than their logo or website, and therefore they need to strategically consider what they are projecting into the marketplace with every interaction of their business and brand.

In practical terms, aim to have every flyer, every tweet, every customer service call, the layout of your store, and even your voicemail messages, reinforce ‘who you are and what you represent, and why you’re different’ in a memorable and consistent way.

Sounds overwhelming? Just think of the great party concept – think of all the areas of your business that people see and ask yourself and your team a few questions.

• Do all these areas send the same message?
• What does my business look like to someone who is visiting me for the first time?
• Am I sending a consistent message from my very first encounter to the moment they
  purchased my product or service?
• Do we represent something that is memorable (in a good way)?

Actively building a positive brand in the eyes of your customers adds value to your business – you will be easier to identify and remember, you will hopefully project an image that makes others want to refer you and use you, and ideally each positive brand interaction will build affinity and trust between you and the marketplace…. all great things that lead to sales.

Not sure where to start with examining or building up your current brand? Contact The Marketing Box to chat about how our marketing services can help you, your business and your team.

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