Your brand is the most important corporate asset you have, and the way you use your brand strategy influences your success in lead generation.
Sears CEO Lou D’Ambrosio probably said it best. “We cannot control the weather or economy or government spending. But we can control how we execute and leverage the potent set of assets we have.” He said this in response to predictions that Sears would stop as a brand in 2012. Well, here we are on the verge of 2013 and Sears is still around.
That potent set of assets D’Ambrosio referenced is your brand and your brand strategy. Executing your brand strategy correctly can enhance make or break your business. It can launch you to new heights of success or it can drag your company down.
One way a strong brand strategy can help you succeed is through lead generation. Leveraging your assets to build leads and see them through the marketing funnel will result in stronger leads, higher quality leads and more clients ranking your services among the elite.
[dropcap]1.[/dropcap] Strong brands attract higher quality leads.
Take a look at your competitions’ clients. Do they seem to have better clients? They may have attracted those clients because they have a stronger brand and brand strategy. Top tier clients have a lot of savvy when it comes to comparing companies. Your brand strategy has to prove your relevance to the client and place your brand as a thought leader in the industry to attract those top-tier clients.
[dropcap]2.[/dropcap] A strong brand helps you stand out from the rest.
Fashion experts often say if you don’t want to be noticed, don’t wear red. Red stands out and draws the eye toward you. When you’re trying to generate leads, you want to stand out from the pack. Quality leads have a lot of people trying to get their attention. Your brand strategy should help you stand out from the rest so leads turn to you instead of others.
[dropcap]3.[/dropcap] Saturate all your materials with your brand strategy.
Saturation alone won’t develop leads but it has taken on a starring role in your overall strategy. Leads want to see a consistent message because consistency conveys strength. Review all your materials and content streams including print, social media, and even your email signatures, make sure they have the consistency of your brand strategy and branding guidelines. As your leads progress through your marketing funnel, this consistency will pay off because your client will know who you are and that your corporate ethos extends to all aspects of your business.
[dropcap]4.[/dropcap] Use your brand strategy to show off.
Part of lead generation is about showing how you succeed where others fail. If you do something better than your competitors, highlight it in your brand strategy. Remember, you’re competing with established brands and established firms. Leads will find their way to those companies on their own. You have to show off what you do differently than those major firms. A strong brand strategy can do this for you.
[dropcap]5.[/dropcap] Keep your brand strategy moving.
This doesn’t mean changing your brand strategy, but it does mean you need to evolve and energize your brand strategy as you evolve and change. This will build your brand and create an organic lead generation. Leverage opportunities to highlight accomplishments such as awards or press that highlight your vision and place as a thought leader.
As a brand, you have a wealth of assets at your fingertips to build and grow lead generation — your brand itself. Strengthen your brand strategy to maximize your presence, set yourself apart from the competition and guide your leads through your sales funnel.
