The Top 4 Secrets of Successful Brands

Everyone wants a successful business and brand. In today’s post we are sharing the top 4 secrets that all successful brands have. Successful brands have the following:

• Consistency
• Intrinsic Value
• Strategic Stories
• Solid Design

If you want to have successful brand, then be sure to understand and implement these top 4 branding secrets in your own business.

Consistency is Key

Strong brands follow the number one branding rule: be consistent. Consistency develops a unified message that is easy to remember and clear to understand. Consider memorizing a set of numbers. To memorize the numbers you will repeat the same sequence in your mind consistently. But what would happen if you switched the order of numbers every time you rehearsed it? Well, you will probably get confused, frustrated, and ultimately give up. This is how customers feel towards brands that are inconsistent in their design, message, and delivery.

If you want to build a brand your customers remember, then make it easy for them. Use the same graphics, design, logo, colors, and tagline consistently and repeatedly.

Intrinsic Value

How do you measure the worth of a brand? The answer: intrinsic value. Intrinsic value is the worth of a business based on tangible and intangible factors. When it comes to branding, the main goal is to build intrinsic value.

How much is Starbucks worth? In tangible terms, you can add up all their assets and calculate a numerical value. But there is something even more valuable than the sum of the tangible assets: the Starbucks brand name. The emotion, trust, and loyalty that the Starbucks brand evokes in billions of customers worldwide is not tangible but it is extremely valuable. Based on the logo alone, customers are willing to pay double for a Starbucks cup of coffee versus an equally good cup of coffee from a similar competitor.

This is branding genius!

If Starbucks isn’t your personal cup of joe, chances are there are other brands that you pledge your loyalty to. Maybe it’s Nike tennis shoes, an Apple iPhone, or Whole Foods Market grocery store. As a small business owner, you don’t need a following as large as Starbucks or Apple to be successful. Your ultimate goal is to grow a strong loyal customer base willing to buy your products and services over similar competitors. Your goal is to build intrinsic value.

Strategic Stories

Successful brands understand the value of a strategic story. We become a loyal brand follower when we believe and connect to a story. Toms Shoes is a great example. This company grew in popularity because customers connected with their mission to help poverty-stricken communities. Toms’ tagline is “The One for One® Company.” When you purchase a pair of shoes they promise to donate a pair of shoes to a person in need. Toms strategically communicates a brand story of hope and charity that evokes an emotional connection with its customers. The Toms Shoe story doesn’t connect with everyone, but for its target customer, it is the only reason needed to buy their shoes over and over again.

As a small business owner, you can communicate a strategic story too. For the story to be effective it has to be relevant and relatable to your ideal customer. If you can understand what your customer value and desire, then you can strategically communicate a story that appeals to this group.

Solid Design

The last secret behind successful brands is a solid design that transcends the latest trends. If you look at the Coca-Cola logo, not much has changed in 40 years. Why? Because Coca-Cola founded their logo and brand design on originality and solid design principles that withstood time. With a logo and brand concept founded on proven design principles, the business is able to save time and money in the long-run.

When fads go out of style, you want a logo and brand that can transcend a trend and last many years to come. The consistency you are able to maintain will strengthen your brand’s value. Of course, if you suspect that your logo is outdated and your brand has lost relevancy with customers, then it’s time for a change. Don’t hold on to an outdated design concept out of fear of change. When appropriate, consider rebranding to ultimately increase your brand’s value.

How to build a successful brand and business

If you want to have a successful brand and business then be sure to implement these top 4 branding secrets from the pros:

• Consistency
• Intrinsic Value
• Strategic Stories
• Solid Design

If you’re not sure how to implement these branding strategies into your own business, then consider partnering with a professional marketing and design team that can guide you to a path of success.