BRAND ACTIVATION - 5 BEST PRACTICES FOR STARTUP CEOS
Navigating the startup journey doesn't have to be a chaotic and ambiguous experience. Contrary to the often-told tale, startups can begin their journey with clarity, especially when it comes to marketing and communications.
Building a strong brand foundation and a clear marketing strategy are vital initial steps that minimise confusion and establish a solid footing. However, it is daily brand activation that truly brings your brand to life from the start.
Brand activation is the strategic process of engaging your target audience through compelling activities and initiatives. It is an ongoing effort that ensures your brand remains relevant and impactful.
In this article, we explore five best practices for brand activation in startups, providing insights on how to unleash your brand's potential from the start.
1. BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR YOUR BRAND
Craft your brand carefully from the start, considering both marketing and communications perspectives. This involves not only designing a visual identity that can be amplified across channels for brand recognition but also defining other, more communication-focused, elements such as a clear tone-of-voice and messaging tailored to your target audiences. Without clarity in these areas, your brand activation across various channels and touchpoints may fall short.
While brand elements can evolve with the maturity of your business, defining the core and essence of your brand from the beginning is crucial.
2. FOCUS ON ONE THING AT A TIME
Startups often face resource constraints and an overwhelming number of tasks. Prioritise your time and tasks effectively by focusing on one key initiative at a time. Your marketing and communication roadmap should already indicate the order of key initiatives.
We believe that making the best first impression is key to building trust in your team and expertise. Start by establishing a strong presence on one channel before expanding to the next. While it may sound obvious, restraining yourself can be challenging. Taking one step at a time greatly aids in activating your brand with high quality.
3. AMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES SYSTEMATICALLY ACROSS CHANNELS
Work smarter, not harder. Creating valuable content like whitepapers or brand videos requires time and effort. Make the most of your activities by planning how to smartly amplify them across all relevant channels and touchpoints over time.
Many larger organisations miss this opportunity due to organisational silos. Startups, on the other hand, can excel by aligning marketing, communications, sales, customer service, HR, and product development teams right from the start for the maximum impact.
4. BUILD SMART PROCESSES TO SUPPORT BRAND ACTIVATION
It's easy to get caught up in the action. While execution is important, there's another crucial aspect that should not be overlooked: building internal processes and establishing cross-functional communication.
Brand activation starts from within your organisation. Create efficient workflows, define clear roles and responsibilities, and foster a culture of collaboration. Successful brand activation requires everyone to understand the benefits of strategic marketing. Never underestimate the importance of internal communication in driving your brand’s success.
5. LOOK BEYOND METRICS TO DISCOVER THE REAL IMPACT OF YOUR EFFORTS
Carefully plan, implement, and track your marketing and communication actions to align with your overall strategy. Collecting and tracking data is just the beginning.
Dive deeper and turn that data into meaningful insights and learnings. Understand how each activity supports your brand and evaluate key performance indicators at the concept, channel, and tactical levels. This comprehensive evaluation allows you to measure the true effectiveness of your brand activation and optimise your activities.
At Brighten, we collaborate with pioneering companies that drive change through technology and innovation. We excel at translating strategic plans into effective marketing and communication initiatives that deliver desired results. Want to learn more? Contact us at hello@brighten.fi.