Slow Branding: A New Approach to Winning in Your Market

In a world where technology evolves ever more quickly and opportunities to communicate multiply, as marketers we can easily get caught up in shiny new things. So it pays to step back and remember that our work is really all about serving customers, not trends. We call it Slow Branding.

Perhaps more than any other business discipline, marketing is changing so quickly that for many companies, it seems impossible to keep up. But with a strong brand grounded in a well thought out strategy, you are much more likely to succeed versus those other brands constantly jumping at new tactics.

State of Affairs

Most brand teams are understaffed or lack deep expertise in key aspects of marketing, particularly on the digital side. So they seek agencies to help fill the gaps, which is a great way to get things done day-to-day.

But tactics only go so far - you eventually see diminishing returns from your efforts without larger goals and a deeper sense of purpose driving decisions.

So consider stepping out of that mindset for a moment.

A New Path

What if you were able to shift your focus from pure short-term optimizing toward a balanced approach that emphasizes long-term brand building? Here’s how we advocate for doing so:

• Get to know your customers more deeply through interviews to better understand the “job” to be done; their journey toward your brand; and the practical, emotional and social factors motivating their decisions
• Determine what makes your brand not just better, but fundamentally different from the competition
• Create a strategy aligning goals at the brand, marketing and channel levels

The Investment

These things take time, which is something we don’t always believe we have. But when you invest in doing it right, the perspective and tools you develop will lead to astonishing results.

And seek outside perspectives. This work is typically most successful when done with a trusted partner who comes with unique expertise and an open mind. And be sure to:

• Commit to getting uncomfortable
• Push your beliefs about your brand
• Open your mind to new ways of approaching marketing

Now’s the time to step away from the next shiny new marketing trend and get serious about building your brand. Instead of just keeping up, become a market leader once and for all.

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