“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is—it is what consumers tell each other it is.” – Scott Cook
Brands – and their sponsors – exist, expand, grow, and thrive in modern markets that hinge on non-stop commercial competition. Some of the biggest brands have established landmark identities through expertly crafted advertisements and media campaigns that expand the arc of public awareness. In this scenario, brand awareness remains critical in modern commerce, in part because it “drives consumers’ decisions about new products and services, helps them differentiate between competing companies, and encourages repeat purchases that leads to an increase in market share and incremental sales.” Therefore, the task of building brand awareness remains at the forefront of the work agendas of ambitious entrepreneurs. An intelligent architect of such an initiative could consider the use of flowchart diagrams as the primary design tool; such illustrations enable brand architects to construct and execute smart campaigns that impact the public domain and develop consumer familiarity with sponsor brands.
A modern market guru postulates, “The value of brand awareness is the equivalent of half of a $100 bill. Unless you know where to find the other half, there really is no value.” In pursuit of this idea, business operators could embark on building brand awareness through a flowchart that depicts the possible stages of such a campaign. The different stages could feature actions that enable sponsors develop brand loyalty in a given market, encourage positive reactions to the visuals sponsored by a brand, outline deeper engagement strategies with customers, fine-tune brand positioning vis-à-vis the competition, and generate incremental public interest in the offerings of a brand. In essence, the act of populating the illustration empowers brand managers to develop finely hewn brand development strategies; flawless execution of these strategies could enable the objective of building brand awareness in multiple dimensions.
Social media represents an immediate imperative for any organization intent on pursuing actions related to building brand awareness. This assertion stems from the fact well-optimized branding campaigns on social media can work wonders for the sponsor brand. The business case for this stance is strengthened by the fact social media channels allow brands to access large segments of new customers at relatively low expense. In line with this, organizations could fashion flowcharts as a blueprint for an actual campaign. Myriad expressions of linearity could connect stages and sub-stages inside this illustration even as designers construct the contours of building brand awareness campaigns on a digital canvas. Some of the actions depicted include the many aspects of digital marketing, banner advertisements, branded hashtags, online landing pages, crafted campaigns designed to arrest the attentions of social media users, digital coupons, the short quiz, etc. The emerging diagram allows sponsor organizations implement the outlines of an effective social media campaign.
Further to the above, any campaign for building brand awareness should involve the use of digital monitoring tools that analyze conversations on social media. Such a stance enables sponsor brands to assess evolving consumer sentiment around a brand and use such assessments to tweak awareness campaigns. The stages of a flowchart deployed for the purpose could include monitoring blogs, consumer forums, online videos, social media posts and conversations, keyword research, spotting digital consumer trends, etc. Each stage, when populated, could comprise a springboard to additional brand-building exercises that reinforce ongoing awareness campaigns. The outcomes of such monitoring enable a brand to assess its performance in the digital domain and create interventions that spotlight further actions required in building brand awareness.
The marketing buzz remains a classic, tested tool that can spur campaigns designed for building brand awareness. Pursuant to this, an organization can architect an awareness exercise that features the use of product or service demos, free trials, product samples, promotional materials, etc. These hooks can be elaborately sketched – and reviewed inside a flowchart prior to implementation; additional in-diagram depictions could include in-person encounters with product specialists in areas of mass congregation such as shopping malls, theaters, music and art festivals, etc. The combined outcomes of these tactics ensure a brand gains high levels of sheer visibility, thereby furthering the objective of building brand awareness in the public domain. Additionally, designers could etch specific benchmarks astride each element depicted on a flowchart in a bid to calibrate the attainment of different levels of an awareness campaign.
Goal setting – and the mechanics thereof – comprise a key aspect of building brand awareness in modern markets. In line with this, brand architects could elect to design and position key goals inside an inter-connected illustration; such a flowchart could feature large banners, each of which represents a crucial action point in the pursuit of building brand awareness. The contents inside these banners could include actions designed to boost website traffic; increase the number of customer referrals; expand the number and scope of social media impressions; drive original interactions inside retail locations and brand conversations on social media platforms; design activities that increase brand conversations; develop incentives that encourage customers to complete purchase decisions; among others. We could state such actions empower the sponsor brand to raise its profile persistently in the multiple arenas of the public domain. However, brand meisters must work to drive an effective translation of such a stance into credible actions in the real world.
A failsafe business case must be designed as part of efforts to achieve high levels of brand awareness. Such an undertaking is crucial in building brand awareness and as an initial stage of securing a deep buy-in from the executive suite. A flowchart developed for the purpose could feature visible dropdowns each of which emanates from a high, common baseline. The name and duration of the campaign, its many components, objectives, target audience, key messages, goals, budgets, and the expected return on investment may feature as primary stages inside the illustration. The designers could collaborate with the sponsor to populate the diagram with inputs and moving parts that further the avowed objective of building brand awareness. Interesting insights could emanate from the building process, thereby feeding the development process of the campaign. In addition, designers may elect to superimpose media outlets that are appropriate for various affiliate actions enshrined in this campaign.
The modern enterprise can significantly benefit by analyzing and implementing these strategies in pursuit of gaining brand awareness. These suggestions can point the way for a fledgling brand to gain significant heft in populous brand landscapes. However, execution remains a critical stage that can define the difference between a successful campaign and a disorganized wastage of corporate resources. Therefore, each organization should invest effort to assess the content of a planning document and brainstorm the means to translate a blueprint into successful outcomes. Additionally, the act of building brand awareness should emerge as a full-time pursuit for the proprietors of a brand; this stance allows the modern brand owner to champion a cause in the many spheres of the public domain. The passage of time plays a central role in the growth of a brand; hence, such a metric must be plotted through a dedicated flowchart that displays the influence and reach of a brand in terms of decadal growth. Further, brand ambassadors and brand champions must find prominent position inside any campaign designed to build brand awareness. In doing so, the modern brand can gain and retain a competitive edge over its peers and dominate evolving market landscapes.
