Rants & Raves
 
November 15, 2021
What's in the Message
 

With unrelenting pressure from increasing numbers of competitors, finding ways to cut through the clutter, compel trial and establish preference has become a significant challenge. Although packaging is the #1 brand ambassador, having well-articulated messages that effectively communicate your brand's unique selling proposition, value and competitive advantage are essential.

 

While there are a surprising number of marketers who believe their stuff is so good that "it sells itself," and even more who embrace the Hollywood fantasy believing "if you make it, they will come," these operators are naively optimistic and grossly misinformed. What they have failed to consider is the need for a properly researched and informed brand strategy that clearly identifies what buyers are looking for, how their product satisfies that need, what makes it stand apart from other offerings, and what needs to be done to generate interest, provoke desire, and demonstrate value.

No matter where the point of contact occurs, buyers are impatient and competitive options are plentiful. If your potential customer has to spend too much time working out what you have, what it does, or why they should buy it, they will simply walk or click away. Accordingly, the messages you employ must be engaging, efficient, memorable, and relevant. Accordingly, you want to avoid statements that could be answered with the reply "I should hope so." If your goal is to position your products or services as preferable to all others, you'll need something better. This is when truly creative copywriting comes in handy.

For those of you pursuing exports as a way to increase sales and enhance your company's financial vitality, your communications endeavors need to be properly translated and culturally aligned. While your marketing endeavors may be well received at home, there's no guarantee they'll be fully understood or appreciated in other countries, especially those with completely different languages, religions and cultural orientation. Along with accurate translation, referencing popular culture, familiar colloquialisms and widely accepted jargon will help buyers better understand and feel comfortable about your offer.

There are lots of factors that go into a successful branding endeavor. Having a marketing team that can conduct appropriate research, evaluate marketplace dynamics, identify buyer trends and preferences and create compelling brand touchpoints is essential. With more than 40 years of experience and clients on every continent except Antarctica, Studio Spear can deliver all of this and much more. So, give us a call: 866 787 8761 - ask for Jeff Spear - or shoot us an email: jeff@studiospear.com