This is a guest post written by Helen Cartwright. Want to contribute? Check out the 2018 publishing calendar.

In saturated markets how does a brand stand apart from all of the competition? And what makes one business superior to another? The answer is simple: their brand strategy. Popular markets like coaching are tough to navigate, as there are many great marketing campaigns that are drowned out by all of the noise. This article will teach you how to build your most powerful brand image possible for your coaching business and why establishing a distinct identity in your market is imperative to your success.

Mission statement

The first element of a robust business brand is the mission statement. This is a succinct phrase that serves as the backbone of your coaching business and is the driving force behind the reason you operate. This acts as a “filter” of sorts which company initiatives are relevant to pursue or not. It helps to keep all actions in line with a definitive purpose. This is not to be confused with a company’s vision. A vision is an end goal whereas the mission is an overarching purpose or state of mind. Once you establish this statement, you can determine which marketing projects are worth pursuing. 

Understanding your clients... and your competitors

Your coaching brand is only as strong as your understanding of your clients, as well as your competitors. Conducting dual market research will help you target your paid promotions, campaigns and communications more effectively. Using analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, can help you determine where your online traffic is coming from, subsequently determining your ideal demographic. By understanding the type of individual who is interested in engaging with your coaching services, you can unpack the psychology and buy patterns they have. This is a statistical and predictable behaviour that can be modelled after enough observation and can allow you to run campaigns with a high chance of being well-received. On the same token, conducting extensive research on the strategies of your competitor’s branding tactics will mitigate the deadweight cost you spend via advertising trial and error.

Advertising

The most competitive way your brand can be noticed is through tried-and-true advertisements. While advertising is not a new technique for attracting attention, it is arguably one of the most challenging to nail. On a macro level, the delivery in which you align your coaching business with a visual or audio message is the first thing someone will notice. This is why the selection of words and images create brand cues that are subliminally remembered. The identification of these cues can generate feelings of favorability and familiarity, which will contribute to a legacy that sells. The emotional manipulation of an audience is a pivotal factor in the determination if they will purchase or participate in the service you are offering.

One brand that understands how to separate their product from the mass market is Ford. Through their use of powerful and compelling copy, they create a poignant reaction in those that engage with their ads. Despite new SUVs being a common purchase, Ford understands that they can encourage customers to choose them if they evoke feelings of safety, affordability, longevity and more. Further examples of their verbiage can be found on their new SUVs page. Use these tactics to come up with unique advertising experience for your visitors.

The social platforms which are used to promote branded content are also a major contributing factor to the impact of a campaign. While the mediums have changed over the decades, the intention is the same, push out material under as many noses as possible. Social media is the most influential advertising format available, taking form as sponsored posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can tailor your campaigns further within these platforms by specifying user-demographics and location.

A corporation that is renowned for their excellent branding is Apple. Adopting a minimalist and monochromatic take on technology, their advertisements instantly generate a sense of recognition and trust within the viewer. They rely primarily on visual means to communicate their brand mission statement, by way of production value and celebrity endorsement. One of their most popular recent ads was a short film that used subtle product placement surrounded by a plotline of self-expression and relaxation. The movie featured FKA Twigs as the main actress, which further establishes a sense of faith in the brand.

Apple utilizes an array of platforms to share their advertisements, but they can be found most frequently on Facebook and television commercials.

Conclusion

Regardless of the size of the market, you are competing in, there is always room if your branding is first-rate. By identifying the core value of your coaching business, selecting a powerful language to describe your services and promoting it on the correct platforms to the correct people, you will develop long-lasting brand loyalty. It is this loyalty that will keep your customers returning for years, and will inevitably raise your brand value.

About Helen Cartwright

Helen Cartwright is a passionate blogger, who excels in the Digital Marketing and Technology niche. When not wired in marketing strategies she ghostwrites for a variety of authors who have their work published on leading online media channels such as The Huffington Post and Entrepreneur.com. Follow her on Twitter.