How to Brand Your Products

In the current online marketplace, customers are spoilt for choice, so they like to compare products and prices before they decide what they are going to purchase. That’s fine, but it narrows the market and makes it more difficult for small businesses to sell their products online. This is one of the reasons it’s so important to improve your product branding. You need to create quality products that stand out from the crowd so they will sell. Once a customer is satisfied with your products and customer service, they will return to purchase on your site time and again.

So, What Is Product Branding?

You need to build a brand identity, so your target audience has an emotional connection with your business and the products that you offer. Branding your products connects you to your customers, shows they can trust your business as well as the items you produce. It’s about building a unique identity for a specific product or collection of products that your customers form an emotional connection to.

To brand a product well, you need to include everything about your business and your products, starting with a USP (unique selling proposition), which tells people what is different and special about your product. You need to explain the type of experience the customer will have with that product, whether it’s a luxurious experience or whether they will feel “cool” wearing a garment. That’s also emotionally charged and directly linked to the way the customer feels about the product.

The product needs to be visually appealing, and this also involves its packaging. The entire experience of the item, from opening it to using it, must feel special and unique.

What Does Product Branding Do?

• Branding distinguishes your product from others, and makes it stand out.
• The visuals and messages you use should make customers recognise the product and identify it as part of your brand. This is often done by using a logo: Consider sportswear brands like Nike, Puma and Adidas, and how they brand their products to make them stand out.
• You also need to ensure your products connect with your audience. The item must be seen as something that they want or aspire to have.

The Difference Between Business & Product Branding

Product branding focuses on a specific product or line of products your company produces, while company branding covers your business’ identity. This includes the company’s identity, its mission, core values and the experiences customers have dealing with the business. Each is important in its own way and plays a different role regarding a customer’s purchasing decisions.

For example, let’s take the brand Apple, under which falls an entire collection of other product brands, including Apple iPhone, Apple iPod, Apple Watch and Apple Mac. Each of these products has its own identity and is easy to recognise, and they all link to the Apple brand, which is a force to be reckoned with. The products also link to each other, which makes using them even simpler and is an added asset.

Product Branding Essential Elements

There’s a specific way to communicate with your target audience, and these brand elements will help you do just that:

1.         Name

The name must be easy to say, pronounce and spell, and give customers an idea of what the product is. It should be only a handful of words at most.

2.         Voice & Message

Be aware of how you say this message, as this depicts the brand’s personality and should also be emotive. The message must connect with your customers, show it understands what they need and want. The messaging must also reflect exactly what the brand is about, so that it comes across as genuine and customers find it relatable. It must also personify your brand’s values and be consistent. Decide whether it’s aspirational, playful, technical, professional or friendly and stick with that.

3.         Visually Attractive

These elements can make all the difference regarding someone heading to your website and clicking to buy, and returning in the future. This includes colours, your logo, the font used and the images you choose. Remember: this is what customers see first, so they need to identify with it and remember it. It must also be consistent. Keep your logo clean, simple, easy to remember and identify. Ensure everything genuinely depicts your brand’s personality and stands out from the crowd. Don’t chop and change; keep this consistent.

4.         The Entire Package

How the product is packed and displayed is very much part of the brand experience. It can show quality, personality and value, and is part of the customer experience. Look at how many “unboxings” we now see on social media and how enticing those packages always are. Excite your customers; entice them to purchase your product because it looks so good.

The Benefits of Branding for Business Success

It helps you show customers the following:

• The product’s value: That it’s great quality and something they want, need or aspire to.
• That it’s worth purchasing: Customers need to trust your business and your brand; this way, they believe that what you offer is worth having.
• It’s better than anything else in the same category: It must stand head and shoulders above other products, so customers perceive it to be important.

How to Develop a Successful Product Branding Strategy

Once you have a good understanding of your customers and can provide them with the exact products they want, need or aspire to, you’re on your way to success.

Here’s some assistance to help you reach your goal:

• It’s vital you know your audience. Once you know exactly who your customer is, including their demographics, needs, wishes, pain points and purchasing behaviour, you’re halfway there. Define your audience, then create products they will love and trust.
• Give customers a reason to choose what you offer. Show them what makes it unique and stand out from the crowd.
• Customers must be able to understand exactly what you offer, and why it solves any problems they may have, or dreams they wish to fulfil. This is especially important online.
• Your message must be clear and compelling. Talk their language and tell them why they need this product.
• Use great visual elements, images that are eye-catching and reflect your brand personality. Ensure once the customer sees these images, he or she will want to purchase what you offer.
• Always be consistent in everything you say and do. This includes the product, its packaging and your brand identity.
• Strong product branding includes a standout logo, brand values that are clear and consistent and a website that is trustworthy, enticing and exciting.