164: 3 Ways to Build a Strong Brand | Marketing Tip Monday

Did you know that telling your sustainability story can help you sell more wine?

Welcome to Marketing Tip Monday with SIP Certified. We know customers are looking for wines labeled as sustainable. While our longer-form episodes help you learn about the latest science and research for the wine industry, these twice-monthly micro podcasts will help you share your dedication to sustainable winegrowing so you can show your customers that you share their values.

Today we share three ways you can build a strong brand so that your customers will remember you.

Kathy Kelley, Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Retail Business Management at Penn State University found that describing specific practices and why there are important not only sets you apart from the competition, but helps to create an emotional connection with your customers. It can even increase their willingness to pay more for a bottle of sustainable wine!

Elements of a brand

"Brand identity" is the personality of your business -- it's what people think about when they think of your brand. "Brand awareness" refers to general familiarity with your brand. Both concepts should be taken into consideration when creating a branding strategy. By cultivating recognition and understanding of your brand through design, messaging, and more, you can make your business and your customer experience more memorable.

Your brand's name, logo or symbol, tagline, colors, imagery, voice, and more -- this is how your brand is presented to the outside world. Maximize your brand experience by dialing in these key brand features.

3 ways to build a strong brand

What makes you so special?

Every wine brand has its unique story. Whether it's a business passed down the generations of a family, a hobby that grew into a booming business, what started out as a weekend project for a couple of friends, or a drive to fill a hole in the industry, identifying what makes your brand different from the rest and including elements of this story into your communications and imagery is a great way create a more personal connection with your customers.

Understand your supporters

Define your target audience to help dial in the kind of messaging you want to send through your branding efforts. Do you want to create a playful feel with your brand? Are you after a more sophisticated and elegant aura? Talk to your clients and return customers about why they support your business and what keeps them coming back. Pay attention to the type of messages that seem to resonate most with your audience and clients through engagement and sales activity.

Consistency is key

Create a consistent experience each time a customer interacts with your product or service. This will help to reinforce the personal connection to your brand and maintain a sense of familiarity. Communication channels to consider include your website, tasting room, email newsletters, social media, and packaging. The tone and spirit of your messaging should be consistent to keep your channels harmonized.

New year, new opportunities

People want to support brands that share their values. Does your brand's messaging and imagery provide a clear sense of what your brand stands for and the kind of experience it wants to provide your clients?

The start of the new year gives us an opportunity to come back from the holidays with a refreshed perspective. It's a good idea to take some time to assess your brand's identity and be sure your messaging is in line with the impression you want to make. This can help you prepare for all of the opportunities in the year ahead to connect with new and returning customers!

Stay tuned for more Marketing Tip Mondays, where we will help you explore ways of incorporating your brand's specific sustainable practices into your messaging.

Check out the show notes for a link to the interview with Kathy Kelley, links to this article, research on consumer purchasing preferences, to download the seasons of sustainability PDF, and to sign up for our biweekly Marketing Tips newsletter. Until next time, this is Sustainable Winegrowing with the Vineyard Team.