Business & Money | Wednesday 13 January, 2016 8:48 am |

As we have stepped into 2016, this is the perfect time for brands to review the year gone by and to make new plans jumpstarting their success in the next 12 months.

With that in mind, James Pass, Managing Director and Creative Principle at JPd revisited some of the most popular branding resolutions to help brands succeed in 2016. 

1. To have a clearly identified vision

It’s about more than just making money. It’s a clear reason for your company’s existence, a consumer need you believe you can fulfil, like no other brand can. If you aren’t fully aware of it, you’re likely to spend a chunk of your time chasing competition, competing with prices and for the most part, struggling. Buyers are more motivated than ever by humane stories so if this poses a challenge, reach out to the experts – they will not only help you determine your vision, but also help you communicate it. 

2. To listen, review, and act upon feedback

According to research by thinkJar, a customer strategy consultancy, 70% of companies who deliver a best-in-class customer experience, use customer feedback. Pay close attention to the way your team, partners and market respond to you – this will often hold the key to enhancing your product or service offering and creating a favourable brand image. Ensure you have a system in place to easily and quickly collect and respond to customer feedback and don’t forget internal feedback from your team as well. 

3. To understand and consistently communicate your USP

How do you differ from your competitors? How do your customers perceive you? Clients often amazed at the discrepancy between what they believe the company to be, and how the brand is actually perceived by customers. With 80% of future business accounting for just 20% of your current customers according to Forbes, if you can’t answer these questions, it may be time to re-visit the messaging and mechanics around your USP. It’s what makes customers wait patiently for your products, pay attention to your messaging across multiple platforms and regard your brand as a preference, and not an option. 

4. To stay ahead of your competition.

When was the last time you did a competitor check? Are you aware of the newer players in the market? According to Dubai Economic Department (DED), there was a 13% increase in business licences issued in 2014 compared to the previous year. With Expo 2020 and Dubai continuing to be an enticing hotspot for investors, maintaining market share is a continuous battle but an important one. Research the way they work, their weaknesses and strengths - you can learn from their failures as well as their successes. Study their communication and how they position themselves. What do they specifically offer customers that you don’t? Work on improving or amending your product offering accordingly and never forget that collaboration is always an option.  

5. To consistently deliver on your brand promise

You can have the perfect combination of an expert branding and marketing strategy, financial backing and a well-tuned organisational framework, but if the operational pillar of your business isn’t up to par, things may not go too well. Branding doesn’t stop at just logo and brand guidelines – it is the essence that runs through every element of your business. Though simple, this principle is sometimes overlooked: do what you say, and say what you do. Ensure all levels of your team speak the same language and share the same vision, across all channels, at all times. Deliver on your brand promises. The most important element of your business plan – your customers – expect this of you. 

If you’re incorporating branding in your business resolutions for 2016, whether you’re a start-up looking to make a difference or an established player keen on reinventing yourself, keep these tips in mind as they can become quite handy.