Lifelong Learning Launch Lloyds Maritime Academy Case StudyBACKGROUND Following the development of its communication strategy which now forms the backbone of all marketing communications, Veronica Araujo, Head of Performance Marketing at Lloyd’s Maritime Academy...
The brand awareness formula – B2B PR
The brand awareness formula – B2B PR
BA = (M+C2) x (R+I)
Brand awareness is the result of presenting your message consistently, in a way that is relevant, interesting and engaging to your target audience. Sounds easy right? What could possibly go wrong? Let’s break it down and have a closer look.
MESSAGE
what is it? It’s right there on the tip of your tongue – or it should be. You won’t be convincing if you, and your team, aren’t singing from the same hymn sheet. Top to bottom, you shouldn’t be able to put a cigarette paper between you. If you know where you’re going, you’re more likely to get there. Truism after truism because…it’s true. Effective messaging starts with clarity of vision throughout the business and communicating with target personas appropriately at each stage of the buying cycle. Your message must start and end with how you will make the lives of your target persona better – anything else is hyperbole. Brand awareness starts with the CEO.
Lack of message = weak brand
CONSISTENCY
inside and out. If you’re not being consistent internally, you have no hope externally. Even if you are clear about your message, the further down the chain of command you get, the more diluted your message becomes; unless you take steps to ensure it isn’t. For example, if you say: ‘it’s all about the vibrancy of colour’, a month or two later someone else will be saying: ‘it’s all about how bright the red is’ and, by the summer a new member of staff will be saying: ‘It’s all about hot pink!’ Internal consistency ensures alignment between departments and concentration of effort.
Internal inconsistency = anchor not accelerator
CONSISTENCY
in the look, feel and tone of how you communicate to your external audiences gives your gravitas and instant credibility. You need to walk the walk, and present yourself as a authoritative, passionate and authentic business partner that will enhance the lives of your prospects. This is where I feel soulless content and click bait fails so meteorically because it lacks integrity. Present your message with conviction and flare, in your channel(s) of choice and then perform the ‘terrier protocol’ (i.e. don’t let go!)
External inconsistency = prospect confusion
RELEVANCY
If you have put your customer at the heart of everything you say and do and focused on solving their problems, your prospect traction is likely to be high. Admittedly, the relevancy of a message can evolve and change but probably not as fast as your boredom threshold might suggest! If you’ve spent a couple of months or more gathering customer insight and developing your messaging, by the time you’ve immersed the business and planned your go-to-market campaigns the danger is you’re already a bit over it. Patience! Messaging rooted in business insight and prospect empathy will endure, inspire and be effective. Invest your intellect and energy in finding new ways of interpreting your key messages in your marketing channels.
Irrelevancy = prospect indifference
INTEREST
what most people find interesting is themselves and their problems. Make sure you put your customers and prospects front and centre and use a range of creative treatments that inspire and embrace different media formats and channels to speak with your community. Lead and inspire – be an advocate. Believe you can make a difference to your target community and you will create curiosity and followership.
Uninteresting = no engagement ☹
BA = (M+C2) x (R+I)
Don’t leave marketing to the marketers.
Brand awareness is everyone’s responsibility and should be led from the top. Insight 2020 revealed that less than 1/6 of b2b businesses had a clear vision. That means that more than 80% of b2b businesses don’t think having clarity of vision is important – which means that their marketing communications are being done while wearing a blind fold. Why would anyone think that’s a good idea?
