Top 3 Tuesday: Writing Effectively About Your Brand

Branding is no longer the sole territory of Microsoft, Apple and Coca Cola. Businesses of all sizes – from multinational corporations to the deli down the street all have a message and an image they’re trying to convey while connecting with their audience – specifically, the right audience.

Branding is a combination of various items that make up your business identity. Logo, images, messages, written content, taglines, even core values are all part of your brand. When effective, branding will convey an implicit promise of what your customers can expect from you and your company.

A considerable part of branding will involve marketing collateral. Ideally, everything you create to showcase your brand, from printed marketing materials to your website content, should reflect the same message and image. As promised, I’m not going to overwhelm you with a lengthy list of do’s and don’ts. If you keep these three methods in mind while writing about your brand, you’ll have a strong start to your messaging.

1. Clarity matters
No matter what product or service you’re marketing, chances are your audience doesn’t have a lot of time to spend reading or reviewing your brochure, blog or website. You’ll want to quickly capture their attention and convey your message in a clear and precise way. Even if you’re telling a brand story, or customer success story, your writing should be conversational and easy to understand. Avoid using a lot of industry jargon or obscure industry terms. This will only chase your reader away.

2. Write for your audience
Marketing content should be tailored and targeted to a specific audience. Whether your company offers one specialty product or service, or a number of related services, your written content should address the needs and interests of your audience. For instance, your content might address a typical problem, or tell a story about how your company solved a problem. Make sure your content is compelling and keeps your audience engaged.

3. Be consistent
Your brand messaging and voice should be consistent across all of your marketing material. This will ensure that your brand is memorable and recognizable whether your customer is reading a brochure or pages on your website. They don’t need to be identical on every marketing piece, but the brand messages, tagline, logos, and voice should enhance each other and work well together.

A cohesive brand will help your business stay at the top of your customers’ minds. Starting with a clear and focused message can get you started with defining your complete brand identity.