Enduring the Test of Time with Your Brand

Anyone can start up a business, but not just anyone can build and maintain a brand that withstands the test of time. Although it pains us to say it, there are many startups that don’t make it very far out of the starting gate. The number one reason? Lack of perspective.

Jumping on the latest and greatest trend in order to try to get your brand some notice and develop a better understanding of your buyers can be effective in the short run (in fact, we strongly encourage well-established brands to follow industry trends!), but unless you’ve got a robust marketing plan with a wider scope and sense of perspective, you’re probably going to fizzle and fade away pretty fast.

Perspective, then, is the key to your business’s ability to withstand the tests of time. Knowing ALL of the items you should be focused on and staying plugged into each concept throughout the years is what will ensure that your consumer audience will be attracted to you now, next year, and fifty years from now. For best results, we urge you to widen your perspective in order to seek out insights from the following six areas:

Context

What’s the exact cultural context of your brand? What purpose are you hoping to serve, and where do you fit into the scope of today’s market? Evaluating the context of your organization on a semi-regular basis will help you remain relevant and strong.

Brand Identity

Beyond sheer context, you also need to determine the core purpose and value of your brand name. This will help your customers make a connection with who you truly are and what you stand for — and will etch a long-lasting memory of your business into their minds.

Competition

What other brands exist out there in the world that could compete with your products or services? Understanding the competition will give you an edge as you step up to bat and try to connect with your prospective customers. Learn how to make your organization truly stand apart from the crowd.

Consumers

Here, you need to really dive into what it is that makes your consumer audience tick. What is it that drives them to make buying decisions? What are their interests, worries, and struggles in their everyday lives? What types of solutions are they looking for?

Shoppers

Shoppers differ from consumers in that they’ve stepped out of their everyday lives and into your store (whether that means brick and mortar or eCommerce). They are ready to make a buying decision. What are the things that will inspire your shoppers to finalize a sale in the zero moment of truth?

Purchase Channels

Make sure that you take the time to discover the role that your brand can play within its various retail channels, whether that be online or IRL (in real life).

When you focus on these specific areas, you’re able to really dig in deep and gather significant insights that will provide you with a big picture view of your business so that you can make better decisions, grow, and thrive.