• Building a Strong Brand Strategy: The Key to Business Success

    Building a Strong Brand Strategy: The Key to Business Success

    A well-defined brand strategy is more than just a nice-to-have—it’s a fundamental element for everything your brand does. It communicates your brand’s mission, what makes it different, and why your buyers should care. We take brand strategy very seriously, using a research-heavy approach to uncover key insights and determine exactly what your customers are looking for or what is currently missing from the market to drive winning brand positioning strategies. Let’s dive into the seven critical components of a robust brand strategy and explore how each element contributes to your brand’s overall success.

     .1 Understanding Your Brand Identity

    The first step in building a brand strategy is determining who you are and want to be as a company. What purpose does your business serve? What are your values? These are the questions you need to determine to build the foundation of your brand strategy.

    Core Brand Purpose

    Your brand’s core purpose is its reason for existence beyond making a profit. It’s the driving force that inspires your team and resonates with your customers. By clearly defining this purpose and aligning it with your customers’ needs, you lay the foundation for a brand that truly matters. When your purpose speaks directly to what your audience cares about, it fosters a deep, emotional connection.

    Brand Values

    Your brand values are the guiding principles that define your brand’s character and decision-making. These values should reflect your brand’s personality and be evident in everything you do. Whether it’s integrity, innovation, or sustainability, your core values should resonate with your audience, building trust and loyalty over time.

    Brand Personality

    A distinct brand personality is crucial for creating a unique identity in the marketplace. This personality is the human side of your brand—how you “speak” and “behave” as an entity. By developing a brand character that your audience can relate to, you strengthen the bond between a customer and your brand. Having a distinct personality has become especially important in the digital age of artificial intelligence and automation.

    Brand Voice

    Your brand voice is how you communicate with your audience. It’s essential to establish a consistent tone and style that reflects your brand’s personality across all platforms. Whether your brand is formal and authoritative or casual and playful, maintaining consistency in your brand voice ensures that your communication always feels authentic and on-brand.

    2. Defining Your Target Audience

    Understanding who your audience is and what they are looking for is imperative to constructing a thoughtful brand strategy that will resonate with them. That is why leveraging insights provided directly from your key target audiences through surveys and real-time testing is key to determining if your messaging is the best fit.

    Deep Audience Understanding

    Understanding your target audience is a non-negotiable step in crafting an effective brand strategy. Conducting thorough qualitative and quantitative market research on your brand, competitive landscape, and buyer profiles allows you to get inside the minds of your customers. This deep understanding enables you to tailor your messaging and offerings to meet their specific needs, desires, and pain points.

    Building Empathy

    Empathy is key to creating emotional connections with your audience. By genuinely understanding your customers’ challenges and aspirations, you can position your brand as a trusted ally in their journey. This connection is what turns one-time buyers into loyal, repeat customers.

    Ensuring Relevance

    To stay relevant, your brand must evolve alongside your customers’ expectations. Tailoring your brand messaging and offerings to address current customer needs and emerging trends ensures that your brand remains top-of-mind in a crowded market.

    3. Crafting Your Brand Positioning

    When crafting your brand positioning, it is important to combine qualitative and quantitative research to uncover what differentiates your brand from what is already out there. It is important to conduct a thorough analysis of your competitors, determine where there is whitespace in the industry and craft meaningful, unique brand positioning and messaging strategies.

    Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

    Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is what sets your brand apart from the competition. It’s the distinct value that only your brand offers. By clearly identifying and communicating your USP, you give customers a compelling reason to choose your brand over others.

    Value Proposition

    Your value proposition goes hand-in-hand with your USP. It clearly articulates the benefits your customers receive by choosing your brand. A strong value proposition shows how your brand solves problems or improves your customers’ lives, making your offering irresistible.

    Competitive Analysis

    Understanding your competitive landscape  is crucial for effective brand positioning. By analyzing your competitors, you can identify opportunities to differentiate your brand. This differentiation is what will make your brand stand out in a saturated market.

    4. Developing Effective Brand Messaging

    It can be tough to stand out in a crowded marketplace, and turning your brand positioning into a captivating story can be even tougher. The key is to develop creative messaging that addresses your strategic insights while also bringing your brand position to life.

    Clear and Consistent Messaging

    Consistency is key when it comes to brand messaging. Your key messages should align with your brand identity and be consistently communicated across all channels. This consistency helps reinforce your brand’s value in the minds of your customers.

    Compelling Storytelling

    Storytelling is a powerful tool for engaging your audience. By developing brand narratives that resonate with your audience’s experiences and emotions, you can create a deeper connection. Stories make your brand relatable and memorable.

    Visual Identity

    Your brand’s visual identity—logos, color schemes, typography, and imagery—plays a significant role in brand recognition. A strong visual identity  enhances your brand’s visibility and ensures that your brand is easily recognizable across all platforms.

    5. Delivering Exceptional Brand Experiences

    Once your brand’s story is brought to life, it is important to determine how and where you will share the message with your target audience and ensure it is consistent throughout every interaction your user has with your brand.

    Mapping the Customer Journey

    Understanding your customers’ interactions with your brand from start to finish is essential for delivering exceptional brand experiences. By mapping out how you wish for your customers to interact with your brand whether it be email, your social accounts, etc. and identifying key touchpoints, you can ensure that every interaction reflects your brand’s values and meets customer expectations.

    Ensuring Consistency

    Consistency in your brand experience is crucial for building trust and loyalty. From the first interaction to post-purchase support, every touchpoint should deliver a seamless and positive experience that reinforces your brand’s promises.

    Prioritizing Customer Satisfaction

    Customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal of any brand strategy. By prioritizing customer feedback and continuously improving your offerings, you can build a loyal customer base that advocates for your brand.

    6. Measuring and Adapting Your Brand Strategy

    We believe the proof is in the data, so we constantly evaluate, re-evaluate and optimize to improve our KPIs and ensure our brand strategy is leading to better results.

    Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

    Tracking the right KPIs is vital for measuring the effectiveness of your brand strategy. Whether it’s brand awareness, customer engagement, or conversion rates, these metrics provide valuable insights into your brand’s performance.

    Market Analysis

    Staying updated on industry trends and emerging opportunities allows your brand to remain agile. Advanced market research tools allow brands to analyze millions of websites and assess brand sentiment, emerging industry trends, and more to inform data-driven content, media, and messaging strategies. Regular market analysis helps you identify areas for improvement and ensures that your brand evolves with changing market conditions.

    Brand Agility

    Continuously adapting your brand strategy to align with new challenges and opportunities ensures that your brand stays relevant and competitive.

    7. Additional Considerations for Brand Success

    Below are some other areas to consider when launching a new brand strategy. It is important to craft brand narratives that will drive future campaign concepts, ensure your internal team is up to speed and in support of your brand strategy, and that it filters down to all of your digital assets and campaigns.

    Brand Storytelling

    Leveraging storytelling to build relationships is a powerful way to humanize your brand. Engaging brand narratives can make your brand more relatable, helping you connect with your audience on a deeper level.

    Employee Advocacy

    Your employees are your brand’s most significant ambassadors. Empowering them to live and breathe your brand values fosters a strong internal culture and amplifies your brand message externally.

    Digital Strategy

    In the digital age, a robust online presence is non-negotiable. Effectively utilizing digital channels ensures that your brand reaches its target audience and remains top-of-mind in a competitive landscape.

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    A well-defined brand strategy is the cornerstone of business success. By understanding and integrating the various elements—from brand identity to customer experience—you create a cohesive and compelling brand that resonates with your audience. Implementing these strategies will elevate your brand, ensuring long-term success and growth.

    Interested in Brand Strategy Services? Matter’s strategy department specializes in ideating impactful campaigns based on data-driven insights. Learn more about our Brand Strategy services.

    Matter

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  • Matter Launches Comprehensive Media Training Offering

    Matter Launches Comprehensive Media Training Offering

    New offering expands Matter’s expertise in empowering executives to navigate the changing media landscape

    BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2024 – Matter Communications – a Brand Elevation Agency integrating PR, marketing and creative services – today announced the launch of its media training offering. Building on years of experience successfully equipping executive spokespeople with the skills and confidence needed to effectively communicate their messages, this comprehensive program addresses the complexities of today’s media environment and is applicable to any industry and media format.

    “The media landscape has undergone significant transformation in recent years,” said Anne Lines, General Manager of PR at Matter. “Our new media training offering is specifically designed for business leaders, spokespeople and industry experts, providing hands-on training with experienced media professionals. It offers practical, real-world experience to help participants not only prepare but excel in any media interaction, whether it’s a live interview, podcast, or crisis situation. In an era where media engagements can greatly impact a company’s reputation, we equip clients with the skills and confidence needed to succeed.”

    From virtual to multi-day in-person sessions, Matter can build a bespoke media training program to fit the needs of each client in any industry including B2B tech, healthcare and consumer. The media training offering provides:

    • Customized Training Sessions: Tailored to meet the unique needs and goals of each participant, whether they are seasoned professionals or new to media interactions.
    • Real-world Practice: Simulated interviews with former journalists to provide an authentic, hands-on experience.
    • Crisis Communication: Specialized training to handle tough questions and high-pressure situations with poise and confidence.
    • Message Development: Guidance on crafting clear, concise, and compelling messages that resonate with target audiences.
    • On-Camera Training: Techniques for appearing polished and professional on camera, including body language, voice modulation, and visual presentation.
    • Feedback and Improvement: Detailed feedback and constructive critique to continuously refine and improve media interaction skills.

    “Axis thought leaders have gained invaluable knowledge, experience, and counsel from the media training tools and resources provided by Matter,” said Chris Shanelaris, Public Relations Manager, Americas, at Axis Communications. “The customized, in-person media trainings and on-camera mock interviews that Matter has facilitated throughout our relationship have given Axis spokespeople the confidence and skills needed to proficiently engage with the media and articulate their expertise in a strategic, compelling manner on behalf of the company.”

    Led by a team of seasoned media professionals with decades of experience in journalism, public relations and corporate communications, the team’s diverse expertise ensures a well-rounded training experience that addresses all facets of media engagement.

    To learn more about Matter’s media training offering, please visit the Media Training page on Matter’s website.

    Companies looking to explore a potential partnership are encouraged to contact Matter  to receive a custom program quote.

    About Matter Communications

    Matter is a Brand Elevation Agency that integrates PR, marketing and creative services into campaigns that inspire action and build value. Founded in 2003, with offices spanning North America, Matter works with the world’s most innovative companies across healthcare, high-technology, consumer technology and consumer markets. For more information, visit https://www.matternow.com.

    Contact

    Matter

    Greg Amaral

    [email protected]

    www.matternow.com

    Matter

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  • Maintaining Momentum – Videos for the Bottom of Your Sales Funnel

    Maintaining Momentum – Videos for the Bottom of Your Sales Funnel

    You already know that your sales funnel is like a waterslide (and if you don’t, feel free to go back and read part 1 & part 2 of our Videos for your Sales Funnel series). What I’m going to say next will probably not shock you, either: Videos help convince your customers to purchase. Not only that, but video is an excellent tool for keeping your current customers engaged and building brand affinity – and selling to someone who already knows and trusts your brand is a whole lot easier than convincing someone whose never made a purchase with you before. Videos – especially videos at the bottom of your sales funnel – ensure that your audience remains captivated and eager to continue the ride, right through to the decision (or purchase) stage.

    The ultimate waterslide, “The Funnel” would never leave people hanging at the bottom with a stagnant, lazy river-esque creep – riders need to remain hurtling forward at an exhilarating pace until the very end. Likewise, the bottom of the sales funnel is a crucial time to make sure prospective customers stay engaged with your brand (and you get the most out of your marketing investment). Your main goals now should be 1) to tend to any last doubts your leads may have – give evidence that your product or service is effective, simple to use and the best solution to fit their needs – and 2) to continue to offer value-packed video content for returning customers.

    CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL VIDEOS

    What it is: A testimonial video showcases a customer sharing about why they love your product or service. Video testimonials help keep your customers’ experience in the spotlight longer through interview footage and graphic elements like animated quotes and transitions.  

    Why you need it: No one helps build credibility better than a happy, relatable customer. A video bolsters your standard testimonial with authenticity and personality. 

    PRODUCT DEMO VIDEOS

    What it is: A product demo is an in-depth walkthrough of your product’s features in action, highlighting exactly how the product works and how it solves your customer’s problem.

    Why you need it: This is your chance to showcase all the key features and benefits to an audience that is already invested in your brand. Here at the bottom of the sales funnel, your audience is seriously considering making a purchase, so take advantage of their rapt attention to gush over all your favorite details.

    CUSTOMER ONBOARDING VIDEOS

    What it is: Customer onboarding videos are perks you offer to your existing customers. You can use these videos to make sure new customers know how to get started, or to keep long-time customers up-to-date and give them the sense that they’re still getting the most out of their purchase with the latest tips and tricks.

    Why you need it: These videos add value to your customers’ investment in your brand, which in turn builds trust and inspires brand loyalty and advocacy.

    LIVE EVENT VIDEOS

    What it is: Event content and coverage means video used to elevate your event before, during or afterwards, like promo videos, capturing footage at the event itself and producing impactful follow-up content.

    Why you need it: Hosting or attending an event is a big investment. You’re going to want to make sure people show up, stay engaged and spread the word after your event. You can do all that with video. 

    Planning out your marketing strategy may not always elicit the sort of heart-pounding thrills and shrieks of joy you can expect at the water park, but we can pretty much guarantee that video, and videos at the bottom of your sales funnel, will kick the experience up a notch. And even if it doesn’t boost your excitement – it will certainly boost your traffic and sales. Your prospective customers have come this far – all they need now is one last, big splash to seal the deal.

    Note: This blog post is part of a series on how to use video at different stages of the sales funnel. Be sure to go back and check out the rest of the series to learn more about which videos to use at the top of the funnel and the middle of the funnel.

    Maia Laperle

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  • Considering a New Marketing Agency? Here are 7 Things to Look For

    Considering a New Marketing Agency? Here are 7 Things to Look For

    Deciding to invest in marketing and PR through an agency partnership is a strategic business decision. Picking an agency is the critical next step and it should be done with careful consideration. The right partner can make a world of difference in how your brand is known and perceived by its various stakeholders (or if it’s perceived at all). This is especially true in today’s increasingly complex and hypercompetitive business environment. Let’s face it – the noise level on social platforms is arguably at an all-time high, buyers are bombarded and do their best to cocoon themselves from marketers, customer loyalty is fleeting, consolidation continues to impact earned media, and news cycles are protracting.

    Unfortunately, getting it right is often easier said than done. The RFP process, though helpful, can muddy the waters for decision-makers outside of the marketing realm who may not know exactly what to look for in an agency partner. We spoke to several senior marketing leaders who are deeply familiar with identifying the “must-haves” that helped them successfully find new marketing agencies on multiple occasions. Their unfiltered insights identify the signs that a prospective agency is up to the task.

    1. They simply get “it.”

    “If the agency presents itself as an expert in my industry but their words, actions, and results suggest otherwise, that’s a problem.” – Carolyn Crandall, cybersecurity and tech industry CMO

    Marketing agency teams don’t live and breathe inside the four walls of your organization each day, nor do they spend their entire week focused on your industry. Yet, they still have to operate as if they do, demonstrating nuanced knowledge of the client’s business: what it does, its differentiators, its value props, and its audience. So how will you know? How does the agency demonstrate their knowledge during the RFP process?

    By asking the right questions, showcasing which storylines will resonate with your target media and speaking your language. Also, when evaluating your options, make sure the prospective firms not only have deep and current experience in your industry but have successfully delivered for those clients. That’s the difference between simply working in the sector and excelling in it.

    2. They think two steps ahead.

    “I don’t want to be leading my agency partner; I want them to lead me.” – Carolyn Crandall

    You’re hiring an agency, so you don’t have to do the heavy lifting or creative thinking—at least the bulk of it and certainly not all on your own. During the search process, decision-makers often focus on whether they were presented with “THE BIG IDEA” and not necessarily if that idea is achievable and truly supports their business. Those are important considerations, but search committees should not let them get in the way of seeing the bigger picture. What’s more important is the type of thinking they’re demonstrating and whether they provide fresh thinking and ideas that you had not considered.

    3. They don’t “bait and switch.”

    “Don’t bring the “B” or “C” team after the contract is signed.” – Cyware CMO Alex Bender

    Many agencies claim that senior leaders will work on your business. Those executive titles will lead the pitch process because they bring seniority and a strong sales acumen. While that might give the appearance that you will a direct line to agency leadership, ask the tough and direct questions about their true involvement. Better yet, ask three or four of their clients, perhaps even through a “back door reference.”

    When evaluating agencies’ presentations, focus less on how “senior” the team is and more on their dynamics. Who is doing the talking? How do they interact with one another? That will give you a better sense of how things work internally and whether the VP is part of the team or a pinch hitter who has stepped in to help clinch the contract.

    4. They’ve got all the tools in their tool belt.

      “The effective use of advanced marketing technologies and tools is imperative. If your agency is not leveraging data analytics, marketing automation, and other cutting-edge tools, it indicates a lag in their approach. The absence of these elements can significantly impair your competitive advantage and hinder optimization efforts.”  – Alex Bender

      “The tech stack is more important than ever. I want to be sure that my agencies are using the best collaboration and reporting tools available. And the same goes for communicating with influencers and journalists.”  – Carolyn Crandall

      Marketing and PR move fast, and technology moves even faster. Plenty has been said about “the way things are done,” but the key is finding an agency that’s concerned with the way things should be done. Keep an eye out for mentions of advanced tech tools in presentations and be sure to test the team’s knowledge of AI, analytics, and automation platforms. Of course, it’s not all about tech. Agencies that continuously invest in new tools in the name of their clients’ success are also more likely to create and/or embrace models that improve client work and partnerships.

      5. They value and prioritize measurement and reporting.

        Board-level scrutiny of PR/marketing spend is constant and having an agency partner that will work closely with you to demonstrate the return on investment to your key stakeholders is essential. Ask them to provide you with examples of (anonymized) C-level reports for other clients. Analyze how they are meeting and exceeding KPIs, including media traction, message pull through, SEO traffic, social media followers, industry share of voice, etc. Understand their approach to ensuring continuous improvement.

        “If your current agency’s initiatives fail to produce incremental improvements or adapt to the evolving market landscape, it suggests a stagnation in strategic innovation.” – Alex Bender

        6. They over-communicate but with relevance

        “Marketing teams are often pressured to show how the brand value is accretive to the overall company’s goals and how to prove that the spending is worth it—that the juice is worth the squeeze. I need my agencies to support this.” – Patrick McBride, tech CMO

          Far too often, the level and quality of communication by a prospective marketing agency during the “courtship phase” inevitably dips once the work starts. And—unfortunately—there’s no way to know for sure whether an agency will be continuously proactive with communications and perhaps more important, strategic recommendations once the engagement kicks off.

          However, some elements of the search process can shed light on their ability to listen, collaborate, and communicate. If they confidently articulate the marketing and communications strategy as part of the proposal, that’s a good sign that they mean what they say. You should also pay attention to how they listen. It can speak volumes about the team’s priorities and approach to partnership.

          7. You have chemistry – you like them

            Just as you carefully consider new hires for your marketing team, take the time to ask yourself about the agency team you are about to hire. You will interact with them often so natural collaboration and synergy is critical to a successful, long-term partnership. Trust your gut on this during the process. The most successful client/agency partnerships we have are those where we truly act as an extension of their team, there is mutual trust and respect and we genuinely like working together.

            As we all know, PR can be stressful and intense. Choose a team that is not only smart, experienced and strategic, but a team you genuinely like and are confident will work hard for you.

            There is no magic formula for establishing a great marketing agency partnership. What works for one business won’t always work for another. However, at Matter, we think we’ve gotten pretty close. If you’re interested in learning more about partnering with us—or an agency in general—we’d love to talk. Contact us today.

            Tim Hurley

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