A Free Resource to Help Define Your Brand’s Unique Voice
By Andy Suggs
2020 has changed us all. A lot. And as we begin to wrap up the year and plan for 2021, there is no better time to reflect on your brand and make sure your marketing efforts are carving out a unique voice in your industry.
As you start to analyze your marketing against your competitors, you may quickly realize there is a lot of sameness. It makes sense, right? It seems to be working for them, so why shouldn’t we do the same? Same colors, same tone and same design approaches.
“In the world of branding, “same” is truly a 4-letter word.”
If you challenge yourself to think back to memorable brands or campaigns, nine times out of ten, they are memorable because they pivot against the norm. But, the key is to do this authentically. Branding never works if you are trying to be something you are not.
To help our clients find their unique voice, we rely on a handful of trusted tools and exercises. Many are slight variations of what other agencies use, but our “Noteworthy Nine” activity is unique and we wanted to share it with you. It is easy to do on your own and will not cost you anything to apply to your ongoing marketing efforts.
These key nine categories are neither good nor bad. Instead, each brand is either this or that. For example, you cannot be humble and bold, but you can carry yourself as one or the other. The first eight categories are rather foundational to any brand, and we have added a ninth category for you to fill in with a set of adjectives that may be unique to your space.
Before you begin filling out this chart, revisit your competitor’s brands to familiarize yourself with their current messaging and how you would associate them with the defined descriptors. The trick here is to do this as your potential customer would. You likely have insights and a history which gives you a deeper level than most. So, go to their website. Check out their social feeds. Read some of their case studies if they have any. As you immerse yourself in their communications, you will get a feel for their brand as a potential customer may.
To properly fill out the chart, follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Chart Your Competition
Associate one of the 3 icons with your 3 main competitors and chart each brand out amongst the multiple categories. And, as is often the case when you fill out the chart, you quickly see how your competition tends to cluster together. A sea of sameness that feels comfortable to all, but ultimately is confusing to your customer. This quickly leads to brands trying to differentiate themselves through pricing- or features-based messaging.