How To Create Marketing Strategy Used By Top Brands
A marketing strategy that is good and consistent can be linked to the success of that business,
everyone wants to associate themselves with success, and every business wants to be successful
like Apple, Coca-Cola, Nike, etc. It would have been nice to just get your hands on their
marketing plan and strategy but these companies have serious confidentiality policies
that make such information hard to come by. One thing is sure, these businesses are
not just big and successful overnight, it is because they are meticulous and consistent.
Also, it is true, some of them have visionary leaders at the helm of affairs while some have a
very fat budget, but after sifting through all of these companies, we noticed a few common trends
such as the way the brand presents itself, the way the brand responds to consumers, and the
the way the brand stays true to its values and mission.
Fortunately, these trends can also be adopted and duplicated because it is not just for businesses
with huge marketing budgets but for any company no matter the size of their marketing budget.
Having narrowed down the marketing habits of some of the biggest companies in the world,
we believe that these habits can easily be adopted by any business in order to dominate its niche
and stand out among competitors.
We must understand that being a big company is not just about making huge sales, it is also
about making an impact and a lasting impression in the minds of your clients and customers.
Without wasting time let’s dive in.
Six(6) Top Marketing Strategies Found Among Successful Companies
Around The World.
1. Coca-Cola: Brand Consistency
It is an obvious and well-known fact that Coca-Cola is one of the most popular brands in the world
thanks to their great marketing strategy.
Their red and white logo is recognized in countries all around the world and people identify their
the brand with feeling good and a source of refreshment.
So how did Coca-Cola create such a recognizable brand? It is a straightforward answer,
which is that they have kept their brand identity and product consistent for decades.
Even though the company has been around for years, its logo has stayed relatively the same
and its marketing slogans and taglines have continued to promote the same message of
feel-good and refreshment. It is this level of consistency for over 130 years that has made
Coca-Cola is one of the biggest brands in the world.
Today, Coca-Cola owns a huge percentage of the beverage market and has numerous products
under different names and brands, however, their most popular product, the infamous,
iconic can of Coke has remained relatively untouched.
Coca-Cola spends an estimated $4.3 billion on marketing and advertising every year.
The company has all the power in the world to market in whichever way they choose.
However, year after year, time and time again, the company favours consistency and
this is what has paid off for them in the long run. This just goes to show that when it comes
to developing a recognisable and popular brand, consistency can go a very long way.
2. Apple: Creating a Movement.
Apple did not fall into an overnight success. If you have been following Apple’s story,
you would know that Apple had many roadblocks to navigate through before making it
to the top of its niche market.
The one thing that helped Apple in its race to the top, however, was its marketing strategy
which is focused on the ability to create a movement. This movement helped the brand
to create loyal customers in a form of a cult-like following that over the years,
has remained loyal and stood the test of time together with the brand.
In all of its marketing efforts, Apple has not just showcased its products but have
also created the identity that its products are visionary and life-changing.
Sure they have developed some amazingly advanced technologies, however in order to
get average people excited about this, they have created beautiful, aesthetically pleasing
gadgets that are not just for tech nerds but for everyday Joe as well.
Their marketing has also helped to convey this identity by making people feel as if they
need their products in order to enhance their life in some way. They have worked hard to
win over consumers and have created a tribe of followers who are consistently excited about
every new product launch announcement.
Even though there are now many competing brands with similar technology like Microsoft
or Samsung, it is Apple products that people line up overnight for, it is Apple products that
make headlines in the news.
Definitely for Apple to create this type of fanbase, it does take a few special attributes,
however, it is definitely possible for any business to try and emulate.
First of all, your brand must have an innovative and awesome product that can easily be
integrated into people’s lives.
Even if it is a new product, as long as there’s a way you can market it as something people
or businesses can’t live without you will hit your own honey spot. So, once you have been
able to identify what makes your product or service so awesome, you have to market it in a
simple and thought-provoking way, even a baby will understand.
For example, there is nothing fancy about Apple ads, but they are simple, and clear and create
a feeling of being part of something ultra modern and ultra innovative.
Finally, you also have to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Remember, to develop a
the tribe that is going to follow your brand, you have to make them feel like they are part of your
brand and give them services that will make them fall in love with what you are offering.
3. Colgate: Creates Trust
Colgate’s marketing strategy is customer-centric, Instead of just shoving their products down
people’s throats, Colgate has taken a very different approach over the years and has
chosen to educate consumers instead.
This strategy has helped the brand not only sell packs of toothpaste but also become one of
the leading and most trusted toothpaste brands in the world.
In marketing, there are a few ways to promote trust, but nothing is more effective than educating
customers and providing customers with how your product can work to benefit them.
As part of Colgate’s marketing strategy, they started an Oral Care Center, packed with information
and videos on oral care and hygiene. They also share valuable information with consumers on how
to brush and floss effectively and how to prevent the development of cavities and dental diseases.
This strategy may seem obvious for a toothpaste brand, however, any business can adopt this
strategy and make it work for them. Most consumers love receiving free information and
learning about things that impact their lives or the lives of those around them.
To use this strategy for your business,
- Think about your consumer’s pain points and what they want to know. Also what information would make their lives better and easier?
- It may also be beneficial to think about how your products can help to solve the problems of your consumers and how you can tie this in with the information you are offering.
- Offer lots of valuable and free information that your demographic really wants to read, and stand out from your competitors by listening to customers.
- Present your products and services in an appealing and welcoming way. Stand for something so those who agree with you can follow along.
Create unparalleled customer service experiences (just look at what Apple did with the Genius Bar)
Be original and consistent.
You might not have a Colgate marketing budget. With even the smallest budget you can
create blogs, ebooks, videos, emails, and even e-courses which can all help to educate your
customers, generate long-term relationships and build trust.
4. Starbucks: Social Strategy
Starbuck’s marketing strategy is all about leveraging the power of social media.
Eighty (80%) percent of hugely successful companies are active on Twitter.
What does that tell you?
Having a strong social media presence is imperative if you want to take your
business to the next level.
Social media is important as it helps to establish brand identity, authority, and trust.
It also helps consumers to engage with your brand on a more intimate, one-on-one level,
which helps to develop stronger ties and relationships over time.
Starbucks is the perfect example of a business that is crushing it when it comes to social media.
They are clued in and tapped in with what their fans want and run a hugely successful Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram accounts.
There are a few reasons that Starbucks is so successful on social media and some of them include:
Starbucks also runs promotions and competitions through its social media platforms and many have gone on to be viral sensations around the web.
Most recently, Starbucks became a trending news topic over their red Christmas coffee cups. This was not by accident and was a meticulously planned and orchestrated social media campaign that just by chance went viral.
Their clever use of videos, .gif, and images on their feed
Their custom images that go along with their tweets
That they actually respond back to followers, especially on Twitter
That they are up to date with current events and use them to their marketing advantage
Their creation of several unique hashtags that have gone viral
Running successful social media is not necessarily about thinking of some grand breaking
scheme to get people hooked (like red Christmas cups). Rather, it is about making connections
with and maintaining such connections with your fanbase and offering them more of
what they are looking for.
If you are observant, in building your brand from scratch, you will have some privileged
information about your consumers. Using this to your advantage, craft a social feed that
reflects your support and dedication towards your fans, as well as your knowledge in your industry.
This includes sharing educational articles, sometimes funny images, and memes and
responding to comments, tweets, and direct messages. Combine all of this with some
soft entertainment value and some frequent promotions and gift competitions and you
will be well on the way to creating a solid social presence.
5. Whole Food Market: Stand for Something
When Whole Foods first entered the market there was really nothing like it.
Their strategy was to offer one thing and to offer it well, stand by it and make
sure it is successful and this has really been the hallmark of their success.
Many marketers and business owners get caught up in the idea of trying to please
everyone or to be a part of everything, but this can often end in disaster and can
leave your brand directionless. It can derail your brand from its founding vision and mission.
Whole Foods came onto the scene with one goal in mind- to offer consumers access to clean,
thoughtfully sourced, organic foods, and they have never wavered from this promise.
Today, Whole Foods competes with many other brands and businesses that have also
adopted some of their strategies and philosophies; however, one of the main reasons that
Wholesale Foods have been able to hold its ground because of its deeply rooted philosophy.
Whole Foods has made eternal promises to its consumers about where its food comes from
and has created benchmarks that many competing brands cannot catch up to.
They also appeal to the consciousness of consumers who are interested in supporting
their brand for no other reason other than they feel as if it is the right thing to do.
No matter what you buy from Whole Foods, people automatically feel that they are
making a“healthier” choice due to the image the brand has created. In order to replicate
this in your own company, your brand must stand for something. Maybe it is clean food,
maybe it is integrity, fast delivery of service, quality of products or services, or maybe it
is your unmatched customer service. Whatever it is, your brand must stand for it and it
must not waver from it no matter what.
Nike: Sell a Story
Like Colgate offers consumers beneficial information, Nike offers their customers information
but of a different kind. For every new pair of runners, for every new bit of technology,
Nike offers a story, not just product specifications. Even on their homepage, Nike paints a
story about some of its famous shoes and the journey they have taken from ideation to conception.
Nike sells the story, which in turn helps to sell its products and your brand can do the same.
Every product or service that you offer has some kind of story and if you can get creative enough,
if you can weave these stories into something interesting to read or hear, you may be able to turn
that story into something powerful for your brand. Think about the most interesting facets of your
brand and what your demographic may find interesting.
It may simply be some behind-the-scenes photos, or maybe it is a blog post about how you have
helped clients and other brands. It doesn’t have to be something grand or tear-jerking,
it does not have to be a sob story, customers simply want to find something in your products
or services that they can relate to, give it to them. Whatever you choose, know that creating a
story is far more powerful than just selling a product.
Writing a blog or using social media tools like Instagram, is also a great way to paint a visual
story of your brand. Out of all the Fortune 500 companies mentioned here, Nike has one of the
strongest presences on Instagram and they use that edge in a very clever way. They promote
strength and fitness, they promote health, and they promote things that are so much bigger
than just a pair of runners.
This indirect style of marketing is what gets consumers interested in a brand or product and
it is also what keeps them following along with the story. This ultimately helps to keep your
brand fresh in your customers’ minds.
In Conclusion
As stated by an expert “Good Marketing and Good Strategy are both about making choices
that build and maintain a particular set of capabilities that enable a company to
outperform its competitors.”
You may not have the marketing budget of Apple or Colgate, but when you work with your
strengths and create an effective marketing strategy that is consistent, innovative, and true
to your brand, there is no reason why you can’t be on your way to the top and become
successful as any of the Fortune 500 companies mentioned above. To be successful in marketing
it all starts with having a solid strategy that supports the growth and development of your business.
Start by thinking about your strengths, what you can do with them and what you can truly offer
your consumers. How can you enrich their lives, help them to become better and how can you
make them fall in love with your products or services?
Following in the footsteps of the Fortune 500 companies highlighted above, your brand can
easily be on its way to developing a strong marketing strategy that yields all-around positive results.
Think About Where You Can:
- Maintain consistency in your branding efforts in order to make your logo and taglines more recognisable.
- Create a movement with your brand by offering consumers the chance to be part of something innovative and “life-changing.”
- Build trust with your consumers by offering valuable information and additional benefits other than just the products or services that you offer. This can be done through competitions, ebooks, videos, and more.
- Integrate social media into your marketing strategy and work on developing a strong social presence.
- Make sure your business stands for something and try to be an active participant in your community.
- Sell a story rather than just the specifications of your product or services using social media or blogging platforms.
Let me leave you with this valuable fact, you will not be an expert in all these strategies,
and you might not even know how to go about any of them, fortunately, there are companies
who have dedicated their time and resources to be the best in creating these moments for
other businesses and one of the leading among them is Retink Media get in touch with us today
and let us help put your business ahead of the packs.
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