What is Brand Differentiation and How to Implement It?

Brand differentiation is the process of differentiating your brand from that of your competitors. It is implemented strategically through positioning your brand differently from the crowd.No matter what industry you might be in, it is pretty much guaranteed that you will have lots of competition, offering the same services or products that your company offers. This means that it is important to be able to do brand differentiation and stand out from the competition through daring and innovation. The trouble with a lot of companies is that they look at their competition too much, trying to replicate their success, when they should be focusing on their own brand and making themselves noticeable within the industry.There are many ways to do this, and you will need to embrace new ideas and concepts in order to get your company ahead of the game. Knowing your customers is also crucial as this will help you identify your potential consumer base, and direct more of your efforts to these areas.

Brand Awareness and Loyalty

There once was a time when consumers were very loyal to the brands that they preferred, and this applied to most industries that offered products or services. Customer loyalty is still noticeable today, but you will find that it is a lot harder to come by. Just look at how many loyalty cards people have today, which earns them bonuses and free items with their purchases. As much as these loyalty cards might be used in society today, you will find that your loyal customer who keeps coming back to earn themselves a freebie will also have all of the competitions loyalty cards and will frequent their business as well. This is unavoidable as people always want something for nothing.So you need to create a loyalty scheme which is entirely different and is automatically associated with your business, becoming part of your company brand and identity.

Brand Differentiation as a Strategy

If you really want to create brand differentiation, as well as instill loyalty from your customers, then you need to offer them something that they cannot get anywhere else, something which will really make you stand out from the competition. This is not easy when you look at all of the loyalty schemes that are on offer, but with some research, and possibly employing branding experts, you may just be able to come up with a concept which is entirely unique and creates loyalty within your customer base. The last thing that you want to do is to look at what your competitors are doing successfully and copying them. Remember that customers are already bombarded with a vast array of choices, but the choices are all similar to everything else that is on offer already.In order to stand out from the competition, some creative thinking outside of the box is required, and you also need to be able to not be afraid to be different. By all means, you can look at what the competition is doing, as it is always good to know, just make sure that you take note and make sure that you do not copy them!

Use a Branding Agency that you Feel Comfortable With

You can find a branding agency easily enough, but it is important to find an agency that you feel a connection with. By consulting with a branding agency who understands your requirements, as well as your objectives, you can give them free reign to use their imaginations and come up with concepts which have not been used before - whether this involves a redesign of your logo, an overhaul of your website, or a new product packaging.By having a good rapport with the company as well as open lines of communication, you will be able to come up with a brand identity to set you apart from your competition. Finding an agency that is as passionate about your business as you are will leave you assured that your company’s brand is in good hands.