The number of brands in the market increases every day; blowing up our social media and flooding our inboxes. As a result, it can be hard to have a brand or product you are working with break from the crowd and stand out from the competition. However, there are certain tried-and-true strategies that may be used to yield results whether you’re working with a PR agency or managing it in house. At the end of the day, branding comes down to an investment in your product, the company behind that product, and your ability to sell this company to the public.
Understand the company behind the product and the values they hold
You can’t effectively promote a brand or product if you don’t understand the company behind it, and the practices they use. This will give you a genuine understanding of strategies that would work for that company, as well as those that would flop miserably. Studying the history and story behind a company may also inspire ideas or suggestions for the campaign that may help down the line.
Survey the competition in your field
You can’t effectively brand a product or item for a company when you don’t understand the players you are working with. In this way, you avoid repeating or recreating a similar strategy that has been created, thereby keeping the public interested in the refreshing approach you could take. The more knowledge you have on what other companies have done, the more likely that this will spark your creativity.
Find unique selling points that differentiate your product from the masses
Building on the previous point, you want to make sure you take an approach that has not been tirelessly done in the past as a part of other PR campaigns. By doing so, you maintain a captivated public audience and consumers who are more willing to share this unconventional approach by word of mouth, generating even more coverage for the product. At the end of the day, the consumers are the taste-makers and deciders of what will work and what will flounder in market, therefore it is crucial to keep an engaged base from the very beginning.
Utilise socials efficiently and with purpose
Social media is an effective tool when it comes to branding a product and increasing awareness. The reach and power of certain influencers and taste makers is undeniable, and therefore it is crucial to get off on the right foot and generate a strong following from day one. Do not shy away from certain partnerships or strong Instagram personalities that could push your product to new audiences and demographics; certain buy-ins are worth the results they may yield.
Do not turn down any press opportunity
Look at every press opportunity, no matter how small or large the outlet, as a way to clarify your branding strategy and make improvements on your approach to market. Any coverage that puts your product in front of the eyes of more potential consumers is a positive move, and something that should not be taken lightly. Also, more coverage could result in more corporate partnerships and brand strengthening that could prove a decisive victory for your campaign. The power of the media is immense, and should never be taken lightly.
Summary
Taking conscious steps both before and during a PR or branding campaign can yield positive results for both you and the company you are partnered with. Go into each campaign with a comprehensive understanding of the logistics of the company you are promoting, as well as the field of competition you are about to enter. After that, keeping an open mind, being receptive to amendments to the strategy, and valuing each opportunity as productive as possible, can yield the branding results that both you and the company are after.
Agent Intern Ryan
