How to build a brand awareness marketing program

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Welcome to my awareness series - volume 2

Following on from Volume 1 – Brand awa reness and why is it important? In this edition we move past the “why” and dive into the “how.”

If you’re a new business owner feeling the “marketing overwhelm” or a fresh marketing manager looking to make a splash in your first 90 days, you’re in the right place.

Now let’s get you started on building a brand awareness program that gets your business noticed.

How to build brand awareness?

Let’s talk strategy, starting with 5 key definitions.

I always start here. Why? Because in marketing, words are often used interchangeably, leading to expensive mistakes. Whether you’re just starting your journey or pivoting your brand, these definitions are the tools you’ll use to build your business.

What is Marketing? The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines marketing as the process of identifying customers’ needs and how a business can best meet them. It’s the story of your business, products and service you offer.

What is advertising? The AMA defines it as the exercise of promoting a company through paid channels. Advertising is a vital component of marketing.

If marketing is the story, advertising is the megaphone you pay for to make sure people you want as clients, hear it.

What is a marketing channel? Mailchimp defines marketing channels as types of mediums used to reach your prospective clients. Examples of marketing channels are email (eDMs) or social media platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn.

Quick Tip 1 - Give 'them' something worth talking about. Even in our digital-first world, there is no better marketing channel than word-of-mouth. It’s organic, authentic, and free. Emma Grede, the co-founder, and CEO of Los Angeles-based fashion brand Good America said it best “a happy customer will do the work of thousands of dollars of marketing."

What is a Campaign? A campaign is typically a one-off, bespoke, or temporary activity. It’s designed to boost sales quickly, announce a new product, or grab attention for a specific event. It’s a sprint.

What is a Program? This is where the magic happens. A program is a series of connected campaigns that tell a cohesive story over time. It’s a marathon. A program allows a brand to connect deeper with their clients and build the trust required for repeat sales.

Quick Tip 2 - The rule of 7 The key to a successful business, is consistent visibility in the marketplace - the the rule of 7, an advertising term that declares that a person needs to see your brand at least 7 times before they will consider buying.

3-step Brand Awareness Program Framework

Ready to build? Here’s my 3-step brand awareness program framework providing the key area’s to consider as you get started developing your brand awareness marketing program.

Be clear about what you want your brand to be known for today and in the future.
Set out how you will measure the success of your brand awareness program.
Map out the journey you want to take your target audience on and give them a reason why they should.

Final Tip - If you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll end up being nothing to no one.

In my experience, if you want to get the best returns (ROI) from your marketing budget, you must stop thinking in “posts” and start thinking in “programs.” Sustainable growth isn’t an accident; it’s designed.

If you would like a partner to help craft the right words or develop a high-level strategy that turns strangers into clients contact me and let’s start building your brand awareness program together.

Share this article