What does your company stand for?
By: Pearl M. Kasirye- Head of Public Relations at Pearl Lemon.
It’s one thing to know what your business does, what services or products you provide – but it’s quite another to build a solid brand.
That’s the complicated aspect of building a business. It’s easy to focus on services and forget to build a reputation, manage it, and promote your business brand.
The reason this isn’t easy is because many business owners don’t think of it as an essential element of building their companies. Whether it’s a non-profit organisation, or a for-profit company, building a solid brand image can make or break your business in the long run.
Os.me Case Study
Os.me is an online wellness community that is a good example of the importance of brand building. Os.me is not the same as an internet startup that exists solely for profit – it is also designed to focus on the human condition.
Os.me members pay for their membership access to the online community, but they are given so much more than just a platform to create parasocial relationships.
They can access insightful articles from wellness experts, share their personal experiences, and learn as much as they can to tap into their hidden potential. For a case study like Os.me – the branding isn’t focused on money or popularity – it’s about the impact.
For example, a platform like Facebook Marketplace will not be branded the same way that Os.me would. Os.me is a place where members can share significant ideas, personal development stories, get spiritual guidance, among other things.
So how would you determine the branding
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- Focus on the intent
- Why was the company founded?
- Focus on the intent
- What was the initial goal in mind?
- What are the essential elements?
- What is the mission/vision?
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- Analyse where it’s going
- Where is the company going?
- What does the future look like for your company?
- How expansive and innovative do you want to be?
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- Understand the target market
- Who are the ideal customers?
- What can be done to attract them?
- Why should the ideal customers be drawn to us?
When you can answer these questions, you have started the journey of understanding what your brand is actually about. Here, let’s break it down for you.
Focus on Intent
Let’s use Os.me as the main case study for this brand-building exercise. Om Swami and Pankaj Kumar founded Os.me – they are both passionate about spirituality and wellness. Their main goal was to create a safe space on the internet where people can feel supported in their spiritual journeys.
The key aspects to focus on are:
- Spirituality
- Safe space for members
- Self-development
- Spiritual journeys
- Emotional support
- Wellness
With these key aspects in mind, it’s easier to understand what the brand is supposed to be about. Let’s take a look at Facebook Marketplace, for example.
The key aspects to focus on are:
- Easily accessible marketplace
- Third-party selling options
- Good user experience for shopping enthusiasts
- Easy access to Facebook’s extensive user database
With this simplistic summary, you can see that the branding of Facebook Marketplace will be geared in a completely different direction than Os.me. The purpose of Facebook Marketplace is not the same as Os.me – the founders started these platforms with different intents. Therefore, the brand-building strategies are different.
Understand Your Target Market
Facebook Marketplace appeals to a specific kind of demographic. That’s the same with every business. People who use Facebook Marketplace are more likely to be marketers, retailers, and business owners who want to reach a wider audience. That’s the same with every business.
Os.me, on the other hand, is geared towards people who’ve already accomplished a lot in life and are searching for deeper meaning in life. They’re likely to be more interested in their spiritual lives, self-development, and emotional wellness.
With these two starkly different examples, it’s clear that the approach to brand building is different because of the target market. This is why it’s essential not to fall into the trap of doing what the other businesses are doing without fully understanding your niche and your ideal customer.
Think about these elements when analysing your target market:
- Who are my ideal customers?
- What are their age ranges?
- Where are they from?
- What kind of media/products do they like to consume?
- How can I reach them?
- What appeals to them the most?
This is not an exhaustive list, but these questions are a great starting point in your journey of understanding your target market. Because your target audience will influence how you market your products/services, the kind of social media platforms you’ll dominate, and what kind of PR strategies you’ll need to use.
Potential Os.me members are attracted by content about spirituality, wellness, meditation, and self-development. Potential Facebook Marketplace users are more drawn to e-commerce, fashion trends, and online shopping information.
Get into it deeply and analyse who you are as a brand, what you offer, and who you are targeting. That’s the best way to start!
Author Bio: Pearl M. Kasirye is the Head of Public Relations at Pearl Lemon. She handles reputation management, media relations, and strategic PR planning for an international clientele. She is also a writer who uses her craft to improve her PR work.
