Brand strategy is essentially the who, what, when and how you are focusing on in your product and service communications and marketing pitch. The goal of any brand strategy is to create a connection with your target audience and develop a long-term relationship with them.
Having a clear, comprehensive brand strategy will lead to your overall brand equity, as it will define how consumers feel about your products and services and establish just how much they are willing to pay for them. When your brand strategy is on target, you will naturally develop a relationship with your consumers, establish your brand’s persona and create the preserved value, or equity, associated with your brand by consumers.
So what does it take to create a strong, comprehensive brand strategy? As a longtime aviation consultant, I’ve learned what works, what doesn’t work and what is constantly in flux. Here’s what I’ve discovered are must-have elements of any aviation strategy:
Tie Your Brand to Your Image
Your brand isn’t actually your product or service but rather the perception of how your customers see you. What you stand for and what your company does beyond what can be seen is what truly defines your brand. It’s this definition that you want to tie into your strategy.
For example, take a look at Nike®. There are tons of sports apparel and shoe companies out there; however, Nike has associated its brand with being the brand of choice for the most elite athletes. Through its slogans, spokespersons and campaigns, consumers receive the message that Nike stands above the rest and if you want to be the best, you should outfit yourself with the best in athletic clothing.
Be Consistent in Your Brand Message
Once you settle on your brand image, develop a brand message that supports your vision. Whenever you put out content, whether online, in the media or in print, make sure that your message is consistent. A strong, consistent message instills a sense of dependability with consumers and lays the foundation for a relationship.
Create an Emotional Connection
One way to connect with your consumers is rationally – they need a computer and you sell computers. But what if you could connect with your consumers on a more emotional level? This is where companies like Apple® leap ahead of the rest of the brands in their industry. What Apple has created is an emotional connection with their consumers and not simply a need/fulfillment transaction with them.
Apple has created a true community with its consumer base and has made it “cool” to be a brand user and brand advocate. As advocates, the Apple faithful consumer base spreads the message of Apple and convinces other consumers that Apple is the best and worth the price. They are such die-hard fanatics that they put emblems on their cars to promote their devotion to the brand and wait in line for days just to be the first to purchase new Apple products.
Creating a strong line of brand advocates – consumers who will sing your praises and share the story of your product with others without the financial compensation required for standard advertising – is an absolute must in today’s world of aviation marketing and the only way to do it is through the creation of an emotional connection.
Measure Your Content Performance
Just because you came up with the most amazing campaign doesn’t mean your consumers will see it that way. As soon as you begin promoting your brand through your various marketing strategies, you need to measure its performance.
Take a performance baseline of what your marketing stats are before any new online campaign, then monitor it weekly and track how it is performing on all social platforms and your website. If it’s not bringing in the leads or sales you had hoped for, then make adjustments and relaunch. Being flexible in your approach will allow you to try a few options and hone in on the exact message that clicks with consumers.
Doing the research, planning and outlining a comprehensive brand strategy is a huge task and one many companies don’t have the resources or background to achieve. That’s where Haley Aerospace comes in. Our team of aviation consultants and industry experts can create a comprehensive strategy that will get your company noticed and bring leads to your doorstep.
When you’re ready to engage prospective consumers online, contact an aviation consultant at Haley Aerospace and let our team create a brand strategy that will deliver for you.
