Why Would I Buy Your Product and Not The other One ?
You've decided to launch a new product and you’re very excited about the idea. You have no doubt that it will rock. Actually, you deserve to be the market leader, and become a consumer top of mind.
Let’s pretend you’re about to launch a shampoo. In most of the products on the shelves, there is this unpleasant ingredient, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which increases the risk of cancer. There are very few natural alternatives Sulfate-free, but they are much more expensive and less effective. Therefore, you have a product that doesn’t contain Sulfate, but instead, has a strong, unique formula which truly removes oil and dirt from your hair. Another point, it’s not expensive at all. Your invention is the one that the consumer has been waiting for, for years.
You trust your product so much that you didn’t even care for brand identity or packaging design. ‘What matters is the product itself’ you said to yourself.
Then, that moment came, and your product appeared on the shelf… On one side, there are different shampoos which contain Sulfate, including some from multinational brands, and on the other side, there are Sulfate-free, natural items that cost a lot more. Yours lays in the middle…
In what way will it speak to the consumer who is about to make his/her buying decision? How will it convince that person to buy one and give it a try? Without having solid answers to these questions, your product can vanish in the competition regardless of its quality.
In the last 20 years, brands became less distinct from one another. This number keeps increasing and it gets even more difficult for customers to differentiate a brand every other day. Years ago, there were 10 different types of shampoos on the shelves, now, there are many. How can you make your product really stand out in such conditions?
The answer is ‘with brand strategy and design’.
Basically, the ideal way to go is to have a professional brand strategist, get professional design services, and spare a significant marketing budget, to enter the market with a big advantage.
Other than a few exciting exceptions, it’s pretty unlikely for start-up companies or small businesses to have that luxury. However, it’s absolutely possible for them to have a professional brand strategy and get world-class design services without breaking the bank.
Good strategy guides you on how to speak to your audience in the most efficient way, and good design helps you show them your brand’s true potential. Both are even capable of fulfilling a part of the marketing need, without doing actual marketing.
Build your brand story and tell it to people with the power of design. You will realize that it is the best move you make for your brand, and in the long run, time will prove you right every single time.