Aside from their ability of developing the ideal campaigns, products and services, the most successful brands in the world have one thing in common: a word.
Let’s take, for example, Coca-Cola. When you hear this name, another word instantly pops up: ‘delightful.’ Southwest comes along with ‘friendly’ and Dollar Shave Club is associated with ‘affordable.’
Although they may seem common or even silly sometimes, these words can shape the way you see a certain company. Furthermore, such words work as a reminder of the brand or service, which improves your sales number in the long run with minimal effort.
But how can you know which word best stands out for your business?
Why Brand Identity Matters
Nowadays, people want to make sure that they’re investing in the right company. This means that us, marketers, have to design a strong brand identity that inspires trust, enthusiasm and builds a long-term relationship.
Thankfully, we have all the tools to do it as well: creating valuable social media content, having a responsive website and offering high-quality products and services all increase your sales numbers.
As you already know, the slogan of a brand can define its progress over the years. But you know what else does? A word.
Using a single word helps people differentiate you from your competitors; it tells your customers why you are unique, valuable and what makes you special. Slogans are also a powerful tool of creating conversions, but when you narrow everything down to a single word, people will be much more likely to remember you.
But how do you know which word suits your brand best? We gathered a list of 3 basic tips to help you get started.
Finding the right word for your brand
- Choose an adjective
Any sentence must contain a noun and a verb; however, they might not be equally effective in representing your business.
Adjectives, on the other hand, help people distinguish one thing from another. Make sure that the adjective you choose is cool, yet common enough for people to use it on a regular basis. Although the word ‘adroit’ may sound cool, for instance, your customers may have a hard time remembering it; furthermore, if you want to make your brand international, many people might not even know what it means!
Therefore, THE word you pick should ideally be common and set you apart from your competitors. If you’re selling ‘versatile’ sweaters, for instance, you’re offering something different than your competition whose sweaters are just ‘colorful.’
And since we’re talking about differences…
- Make your word different
Just as it happens with any other marketing strategy, studying your competition is crucial for learning what works best. Your word should stand out for the top qualities of your products or services; if you’re still unsure about that, start by making a list of every single thing your brand has to offer. After comparing your qualities with your competitors’, you’ll get a good idea on what makes you different.
Making lists also helps you make sure that your word has veracity. For example, you may think your sweaters are ‘versatile,’ but can a client really wear them on any occasion?
- Put your brand first
Let’s say that you’re going to sell more than just sweaters. Let’s assume that your brand is selling clothing items, home decorations and plants. A plant can’t be that versatile, right?
If your business is going to have more than one domain of activity, it’s best that you choose a word that stands for… you.
We’ve already discussed the importance of creating a unique brand identity. When you have a very clear idea on the core values of your brand, its history and its goals towards the customers, you can also start looking for the right word.
Before you go, I want to give you a disclaimer: choosing THE word for your company will be difficult. For some, it may seem like the hardest thing they’ve ever had to do for their business. This task takes time and creativity, so it’s always good to ask for specialized help if you have it.
Even so, though, no one knows your brand better than you, so make sure to get involved as much as possible in the process.
Have you picked a word for your company yet? If so, how was this journey for you?
