Author: Tracey Hofmann
October 25th, 2023
With Halloween days away, we thought it the perfect time to don some RCG Brand A-Wear-Ness and allow ourselves to be “models” for a day. Branded apparel is a walking advertisement for your business and takes the guesswork out of your daily what should I wear decision. It promotes unity and consistency amongst your team members and most employees are happy to wear it because who doesn’t love free merch? Those bearing your branded apparel serve as your brand ambassadors or, even better, your brand champions. Although branded clothing has the magic to accomplish all of the above, brand awareness is the real marketing objective as it taps into the emotions that affect customer choices.
What is Brand Awareness?
Brand awareness is the degree to which consumers know your product or service.
The Nike swoosh, McDonald’s golden arches, the Amazon smile… These brands have successfully achieved brand awareness. You don’t even need to see the words that correspond with the images to guess the company. According to Statista, Amazon was ranked as the most valuable U.S. brand worldwide in 2023. Yep, keep smilin’, Amazon.
Research Strengthens Your Brand
Every business needs a brand identity to attract customers. Research helps you make strong branding decisions by answering questions such as what makes your product/service unique and valuable? Who makes up your target audience? Who are your competitors? Answers to these questions inform your decisions about your brand look (logo, tagline, and brand messaging) and help you stand out, appeal to your ideal client, and differentiate yourself from your competitor.
Reflect Your Company Values
Your brand should also reflect your mission, vision, and values as a business owner. What do you stand for and what do you hope to achieve by putting your offerings out into the world? Once you are firm on your brand identity and messaging, everything you communicate to the marketplace about your brand must align. Be clear and consistent.
Why is Brand Awareness important?
According to research from Finances Online, 89% of marketers say brand awareness is their top business objective. Here are some reasons why:
- Brand Awareness leads to brand familiarity. In a Trust Barometer survey conducted by Edelman, 67% of customers say they must trust the brand before they’ll continue buying its products or services. The more familiar people are with your brand, the more likely they are to trust it. It is that trust that influences them to choose one product/service over another. To keep up that level of trust, don’t make promises your brand can’t keep. You don’t see Just Do It Nike ads with a photo of someone napping on the couch. Why? Because it doesn’t align with Nike’s brand of athleticism and inspiration.
- Brand Awareness brings credibility and professionalism to your business. It helps staff and partners understand your intent and direction. If you own a landscaping business and your crew is wearing branded apparel, their unified look gives your business credibility and, as an added bonus,every person passing by sees your business name, logo, and contact information on their shirts. Work clothes for your crew effectively advertise your business.
- Brand Awareness leads to brand recall. If your business comes to mind without a visual cue, you have the brand recall advantage. Potential customers are less likely to continue their vendor search if your business is already top of mind.
- Brand Loyalty can be achieved if your client has consistent, positive experiences with your service and/or products. Happy repeat clients will keep coming back and may lead to referrals or positive reviews. This loyalty can run even deeper if they share the same values reflected in your brand.
- A well-defined brand can help your business internally as well. A strong brand builds team spirit and productivity. If your mission and values are embedded in your brand, employees will have a better understanding of your expectations.
How to Build Brand Awareness?
There are many brand-boosting ways to attract prospects. Every marketing tool you choose should support brand awareness, from your website down to the pens you give away at the tradeshow. Choose tools that best reflect your brand. This goes for clothing and promotional items too. If you want a more polished look for your team, opt for polos instead of t-shirts. If you’re promoting a health event, mini first aid kits or stress balls might be a better choice than a mug or keychain. Know who you are trying to reach and how to best engage them.
To summarize, brand awareness brings you one step closer to becoming the brand of choice for your consumers. When your brand messaging aligns with your customers’ brand experience, you achieve positive outcomes. Success is inevitable. You’ll build a loyal following and see the fruits of brand awareness pay off.
