Identification for Brand Success

Posted on Aug 23, 2010 | 0 comments

A great big thank-you to Dillon Ferdinandi: Armed with an engaging personality, a degree from California Polytechnic State University, real-life experience and a plethora of marketing sense and heart, I am beyond pleased that Dillon Ferdinandi volunteered to share a blog about identifying with our customers for brand success and increased sales. If you would like to learn more about this energetic young man, check out his blog at dillonferdinandi.com, follow him on twitter, LinkedIn or facebook (links easily accessible from his website as he’s a planner and a thinker). He has many words of wisdom and quite the smile. What does he do when he’s not living, breathing, reading or writing about marketing? He searches for the right job, cooks, plays golf and snowboards: quite well rounded. (Thanks, again, Dillon. You are appreciated!)

Identification for Brand Success

For some businesses, sales come easily. They sell a product that people either need or love, and in turn make quite a profit. Most of us, however, have to work for our sales. We have to struggle to convince consumers that our product or service can truly enhance their lives.

The biggest difference between having to work for your sales and having them come easily is the question of need versus want. The majority of products out there fit into the want category, and if the price isn’t low enough, people aren’t convinced to buy.

So how do we influence people to buy things that they don’t really need? Well, this is precisely what businesses and ad agencies have been trying to figure out since the very beginning…

Identification
We all like ourselves (hopefully), and we typically like others who we perceive to be similar to us. This feeling of liking also holds true for products as well. Instead of just marketing product benefits, we can design messages and campaigns that align with the consumer’s core values and beliefs.

As marketers, we ultimately achieve product identification when people feel a strong need to purchase, even if it’s something that they don’t actually need. Through advertisements, social media campaigns, and word-of-mouth, people feel connected to the ideas and values behind a product, and this can directly influence their decision to buy.

Case Study
This past month, I was lucky enough to spend some time traveling through Europe. The first stop on my adventure led me to beautiful London, England. Somewhere in-between the National Gallery and wandering around Leicester Square, I remembered that the World Cup was on TV.

Now if you’re not aware, England goes over crazy football (soccer to you non-Europeans). The pubs were packed with red and white as everyone cheered their fellow countrymen as they battled for the coveted 24-karat trophy. While walking by a sporting goods store, I noticed an advertisement for jerseys. Instead of the usual sales lingo, the poster said, “Come on England, put your money where your heart is!” And not only was the store packed, but jerseys were flying off the racks. Now why is that?

You guessed it! Identification!

People all over England live and breathe football. Sports retailers are able to leverage that love for soccer and country by using an identifiable call to action. The sports store aligned its message with the values and beliefs of the English people in a way that not purchasing a jersey would seem unpatriotic!

Now did the customers need a jersey? Probably not. But they did feel the need to prove their devotion to England.

How do I identify with my consumer?
Know your target market. How old are they? Are they married? Divorced? Why are they purchasing? Is it on a need or want basis? By understanding your target market’s demographics and psychographics, you can tailor your messages to resonate with their beliefs and meet their needs. Although you may not have something as huge as the World Cup to base your marketing efforts on, you can still utilize smaller events and mutual experiences to identify with you target audience.

I buy jerseys to show my support for my favorite sports team. I buy green products to feel like I am making a difference. Why do people buy your product?