There’s been loads of examples of brands getting bad press in the news recently. There was the horsemeat scandal that damaged the supermarkets, the Leveson enquiry that further tainted the newspaper industry, and the untold damage inflicted by revelations in the TV world. Several household brands have had their names dragged through the mud, and could have been damaged permanently.

Strong brand marketing is one way these companies could overcome the negative news associated with them, and it can help your business too. Find the right brand and corporate identity helps establish a business’s values, ethics and commitment to quality and customer service. Brand marketing needs to be done properly, with thought, creativity and expertise. It’s not enough to create any old logo that doesn’t reflect what you do and not think about what tone of voice to use when addressing your customers.

Find what your brand excels at and build your brand marketing around that. Some great examples of this include Virgin Holidays’ “Rockstar Service” TV Adverts that implied you could experience a holiday worthy of a rich music superstar, and John Lewis’ “Never Knowingly Undersold” on quality, price or service.

Many organisations have relied on the strength of their brand to see them through times of adversity. The Co-Op has had its debt rating downgraded after rumours mounted it might need a taxpayers’ bailout, which prompted the bank to suggest its brand, based on customer service and advocacy, was strong enough to pull it through its current difficulties. And of course, retail giant Tesco took out a full page ad apologising for horsemeat being found in its beefburgers. The ad was full of Shakespearean language, and was a very effective brand marketing exercise as Tesco listed promises about changing how it will do business in the future and listen to its customers more. The text was written in an arrow shape pointing to its logo.

Brand marketing shouldn’t be left to chance. It needs to be an integral part of your business. So don’t take any chances with yours, and talk to Lethal Marketing about your brand marketing.

Marketing Agency UK News… There’s a lot of talk within the marketing arena about branding and market position. Your corporate identity, logo or brand is one of the most important aspects to consider in business. A lot of businesses often neglect their brand management and believe that just having a logo attached to a website will be sufficient.

Creating and developing the right brand is vital especially for online success, so here’s 10-ways to make your brand great & fly:-

1. Find Your USP. There’ll probably be load of businesses that do what you do. The trick is find what you do differently. Perhaps you offer something for free as part of your service or have an interesting story to tell. Whatever it is, find that special something that makes you stand out and build your business around it.
2.  Define What Your Brand Stands For. People won’t recognize what your brand is all about without any help. You need to define exactly what it stands for and focus on that in all your business communications. Top high street brands do it. I’m sure you know which retailer stands for quality, which electronics firm stands for cutting edge technology and which airline stands for customer service. Your brand has to do the same so consumers will make the connection between it and a specific quality.
3.  Make Your Business Name Memorable. Having a simple brand name is a must. Brands that have names that are easy to pronounce have more customers than those that don’t because customers recall their names quicker. Naming your business after something or someone that means something to you is great, provided it’s still catchy and your customers know how to say it.
4.  Inject Personality into Your Brand. People buy from people. So don’t be afraid to show your human side and have a little fun with your brand. Not appearing too corporate can make your brand appear more approachable and different from your competitors.
5.  Put Your Brand Everywhere. Your brand has to have an online presence, so getting a good-quality website built is a minimum requirement. Businesses without a website are seen as untrustworthy by today’s buyers, and employing a professional web designer is a sensible business investment.
6.  Embrace Social Media. Your customers and competitors will use social media. Adults in the UK now spend a considerable amount of time on Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest and LinkedIn to communicate with friend and family. And that includes asking them for business recommendations and interacting with businesses. If your brand’s not embracing social media, you could be missing out on loads of potential business.
7.  Involve Your Customers. Great brands have great relationships with their customers. They make them feel special and are rewarded with loyalty. Say thank you when your customers buy from you, and they’re more likely to come back again. Offer them small gifts occasionally and they’ll definitely come back!
8.  Solve Customers’ Problems. People buy when they need something so give them a solution when they have a problem. Offer customers a value-for-money solution backed by brilliant customer service whether you’re offering a product or a service. If you can do that better than your rivals, your brand will be seen as the best in its field.
9.  Be Different. A bit of creative thinking can work wonders for your brand. Try and anticipate the next trend before everyone else does, and keep abreast of the changes in your industry. Being different in your dealings and communications with your customers will keep your brand fresh and vibrant, and keep you ahead of the competition.
10.  Always Look After Your Customers. This is the most important thing your brand must do. Customers have more choice than ever before, so if you neglect them, they’ll go elsewhere. Your brand’s reputation depends on what your customers think about you, and can make the difference between survival and your brand dying!

Lethal Marketing can help you establish and grow your brand identity. We can design online and offline branding that will help you stand out from the crowd, create the right impression and attract new clients.

Talk to our brand team today on 0845 4085488 or email on info@lethalmarketing.co.uk