Does your Brand have a Personality? 5 Ways to Define Your BRAND Personality

Most marketers know that customers are looking for that unexplainable thing that connects them to a brand. Nobody wants to buy from a boring company, no matter how great the product. However, brand personality is something that entrepreneurs and business owners often overlook. This is a big miss, because the reality is that a brand’s personality can drive sales and promote lifetime customer loyalty. Where many marketers struggle, however, is proving this to their boss. But, we’ll save that for another blog.

Here are five ways to create and define your brand personality.

1. Define Your “Why.” This might seem obvious, but it’s not easy to put into words. Anybody can sell products, but what makes your business unique? How do you differ from the competition? For example, everyone knows GoPro is known for capturing intense moments of adventure, but they really just sell cameras. Since day one, Apple’s had a hold on the young and tech-savvy outcasts, but they simply started out selling computers. Talk to the founders of your business and discover what inspired them to start the company. Identify the reasons why employees are drawn to the company and why consumers should choose you over your competitors.

2. Identify Your Ideal Customer. Part of determining your identity is knowing who you’re selling to. Trying to appeal to everyone is exhausting and unproductive. So, what kind of customer do you identify with? How old are they? Who do they aspire to be? Go be that. Define your ideal customer and then select some of their personality traits that you can reflect in your own brand personality. Then, just by being you, you’ll attract the right customer that you can market to, without feeling forced.

3. Remain Consistent. One major problem brands encounter in their marketing is not maintaining a consistent disposition across all platforms. Discrepancies in fonts, brand colors and logos are all too common, not to mention inconsistencies in the brand’s overall message. This is a major brand faux pas. Projecting a clearly defined and unwavering brand personality is crucial. Know who you are, project it to the world and stick to it.

4. Create Personality-Driven Content. Some brands simply exude personality in everything they do, and some brands need to develop brand-only content. This means creating content that simply tells your brand story. Use your customers who exemplify your brand personality to create an army of ambassadors who can tell your story. Your goal here is to build a brand through communicating your values to the world.

5. Form Strategic Brand Partnerships. After your brand personality is established in the industry, look for other companies with similar personalities and values. When appropriate, there may be an opportunity to form strategic partnerships and cross-promote. This strategy only reinforces your brand by aligning with another brand with similar beliefs. It’s also a way to quickly increase your exposure.

It’s always a good idea to regularly asses your brand personality and evolve with the ever-changing market when needed. If you need help getting the ball rolling, we’re here to help. Connect with us today!

Author - This article was written by John and Team - John Gumas is the Founder and President of Gumas Advertising, a San Francisco based full service branding, advertising and interactive marketing agency that specializes in Challenger Brand Marketing. John is considered one of the country’s foremost authorities on Challenger Brand Marketing and is the author of the popular book on the subject entitled “Marketing Smart.” Check out John’s book at www.marketingsmartbook.com/

*Editor's Note - The Oldcommguy - John is an awesome friend and a very seasoned professional marketing expert. I have had the pleasure of working with John and Team and if you need Branding and/or Marketing assistance the Gumas Team is the Very Best Team and I highly recommend them!

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