When it comes to understanding buyer behavior, one thing that always is taken note of is trends. Brands that set trends such as Apple’s line of products show it is possible for a brand to establish a value proposition that is driven by and in fact, drives style. But how is it possible for a single brand to gain a following that can probably be considered close to cultish? Perhaps the answer lies in understanding the buzz that lies beneath the creation of a herd.
It is a very human need to belong and be part of something — herding is practically a basic human reaction. Take for instance the creation of a market for mobile gadgets. Since mobile technology kept people who were on that same technology together, others would get it as well. But, let’s say you’re going for something else. Let’s say your product is about being set apart from the rest.
The entire line of Apple’s products is probably the best case when it comes to being “different”. Its popular PC vs. Mac campaign attracted people by marketing themselves as different from the more popular and therefore more “boring” or “safer” brand. And even in its past campaigns, there was a focus on the Mac user being the innovative one—the clearly different one. The value proposition placed on Apple’s products was based more on a focus of who its users were instead of simply what the product is about.
So, is it possible to create a value proposition for your own brand through a focus on users? Definitely. And it helps in the creation of buzz as well. If the brand encourages a youthful image with the right features to go with it, then it isn’t a far-fetched idea to market it as something used by a youthful market. Creating an image to go with the brand is a powerful way to draw in a herd.
And a herd is even easier to keep nowadays with the latest marketing tools that put a higher premium on community building and being social. With the right mix of marketing, it becomes possible to build a brand’s value on the quality of its community alone.
Is your product or service clearly connecting with a specific customer? Does its style and brand elements align to that target market?
Gone are the days when companies would simply create a product or service, market it and hope for a successful, profitable outcome. Products and services are now deeply commoditized and consumers are increasingly fickle and hard to please. People don’t just want something to spend their money on; they want solutions. They want something that can satisfy a specific need in a specific way. It is a must for companies and marketers to understand this basic consumer reality.
Innovative, Indispensible, Inspirational.
Innovative, Indispensible, Inspirational. These are the three I’s of an effective Value Proposition. If you want to make your brand work, you’ve got to cater to your target consumers’ needs. We’re not just talking about basic needs here. A product or service can also satisfy emotional and perhaps even spiritual needs. It all depends on how you position your offering.
Is it innovative? Does your product bring something new to the table? Have you discovered a need nobody thought they had, or are you riding the bandwagon with a me-too offering? Is your offering truly useful/beneficial over time? That is, does it represent a continuous stream of goodness to its owner? Does your your brand inspire action or complacency? By answering these questions, among others, you can pinpoint the ideal way to market your product. The next step is to see if the target audience is going to be receptive to the messages you send.
Know thy customer. It is a crucial commandment that must be heeded, if you want your brand messages to come across positively. We live in an age where information is easily accessible. Especially information about how your product is doing in multiple dimensions besides “unit sales”. Not too long ago, it wasn’t practical to do intensive consumer research, simply because by the time enough information has already been gathered, it was already be obsolete and useless for brand-building.
The Internet is a great way to find out about your target market and its specific needs. The rise of social media has made it incredibly easy for companies to connect with consumers and find out their current needs. By becoming receptive to your followers or potential buyers, you can have a greater idea of what makes them tick and translate that into your brand. You can raise the power of I3 with the aid of Internet tools.
Whenever I look for a particular product or service, the company’s website has a lot to do with whether I engage with a vendor or not. I don’t disregard product or service quality, of course, but the power of the website is great: It can draw you in or turn you off.
We all know that today, consumers search for products and services online before making purchases. In order to get an advantage over their competition, companies create websites to gain visibility and promote credibility with their consumers online.
How then, can one stand out? This is where visual design takes a step forward. Here are a few reasons why a good visual design can be powerful marketing tool:
Visually Appealing Websites are Fresh.
Visual elements that reinforce your objectives, appropriate and nicely done images of your products — these add up to your web site’s appeal to your consumers. Visual design supports a company’s brand positioning, thus effectively communicating information and interactivity to its readers.
A Visually Appealing Website can Increase Your Market Share and Expand your Audience Reach.
The ability to pique your audience’s interest and get them to view your site is essential in getting them to learn more about your product or service, and ultimately lead them to inquire, sign up and purchase. Your website speaks volumes more than you know — a poorly designed one shows inconsistencies which can reflect badly on your company’s service and products. A well-designed site can indicate a service or brand that is professional, consistent and reliable, and consumers can have more confidence in and prefer doing business with you.
Visually Appealing Websites Improve Efficiency.
Is your consumer browsing through a website and not really getting the information they want? Your visual design might be a little too cluttered and confusing. A few minutes of delayed and fruitless searching, and your viewers may soon be giving up and moving on to the next site. A well-designed website provides positive experiences to its audience by delivering useful, fresh content that allows them to accomplish their goals quickly and easily.
A visually appealing website ultimately gives you and your audience the best of both worlds: An overall organized feel that is consistent and professional for your company, and a portal of information for your viewers that is organized and easy to find. Creating this makes it possible to achieve more with less time and effort, and gives you a great and lasting impression on the Web in today’s hectic society.
NOTE: a great resource on this topic is the book, “Don’t Make Me Think“, by Steve Krug.
No brand is immune to competition. Even market leaders have their nemesis, and direct competitors keep a company from having the entire pie for itself. In many cases, competition can actually be mutually beneficial, as it keeps the competing parties from becoming complacent. In always trying to outdo each other, the companies push themselves to improve their brands and the products or services they carry. It is a welcome cycle that not many businesses want to admit (or enjoy).
Competitive analysis begins in much the same way a company would evaluate its own brand. You can examine your competitor’s value proposition in I3 terms based on their marketing claims. Find out exactly what they are saying that gives them an edge from their competition and compare that to your own unique selling points. If both of you are claiming the same thing, you end up canceling each other out on that factor, all other things remaining equal. I call this the overlapping value proposition: two companies making equally valid claims to a differentiator, neutralizing each other in the market on that attribute.
Take for example, Coca Cola and Pepsi. Both of these fizzy drinks are refreshing, affordable, and, for a time, they were actually marketed as health tonics. The Cola Wars are infamous in the marketing world. When it finally hit them that there is no use trying to convince consumers that one brand of soda tastes better than the other, they decided to go with more distinct (and emotional) approaches.
(image from Brand New )
Rather than win a consumer following with proof of taste superiority (a virtual unprovable), the beverage giants decided to woo the market by creating ‘personalities’ for their brand. It is evident in the evolution of their logos. Coca-Cola positions itself as a feel-good drink that encompasses all generations; thus, its logo has remained consistent over the years. Pepsi, on the other hand, keeps reinventing itself as the ‘cool drink.’ It mainly targets youth, which is why it also tends to get popular celebrities and artists to promote its brand.
Despite their difference in marketing approaches, Coke and Pepsi still enjoy a healthy rivalry. They were able to avoid the rut of the overlapping value proposition by re-thinking their challenge in other dimensions. They observed consumers more intently and creatively constructed brand personalities that resonate with their target market. Value proposition don’t have to be tangible or factual – they can simply be a matter of style.
