By George Farris
Have you ever had to speak at a conference?
I have and can tell you trade group audiences are not always the most attentive. They have tight schedules, come in late or leave early and check their phones for emails and messages.
At first, I thought it was me. “Maybe I am a boring speaker,” I said to myself. But my 20-month-old granddaughter assures me I am a very exciting orator, rewarding me with a big smile, especially when I make funny faces.
The short attention span of a conference audience makes it difficult to build a step-by-step case. So instead of the long presentation, I tend to present a series of relevant facts about the topic. I then expand on any facts on which the audience wants to focus.
I will do the same in this column. Here are some fun branding and marketing facts that can lead to more success for your business or organization.
Branding vs. Marketing
What’s the difference between branding and marketing?
“Branding encompasses all efforts to explain why a company exists,” says ThePowerMBA.com. “It includes concepts such as the logo, colors, etc. But it’s really about crafting a unique identity that customers emotionally connect to and immediately recognize.”
Marketing covers all actions, tools, message, and media that help to promote and sell the product or service.
FUN FACTS ABOUT BRANDING
• 72% of consumers make purchases based on brand names. (CrowdSpring).
• 74% of people between the ages of 21 and 35 would pay more for a product with a brand name they like and trust. (Feedough)
• 60% of consumers avoid companies with logos that have weird or unappealing designs, even if they have good reviews. (StudyFinds.org)
• A consistent presence on all platforms can increase revenue by 23%. Brand recognition is essential. Your brand must communicate consistently across all platforms, from social media to product packaging. (Forbes) Use the same brand name, colors, type, graphic treatment for everything.
• Colors can help to improve brand recognition by 80%. Stay consistent and use the same colors across all branding materials. (TouroLaw)
• Color is one of the first things our brains perceive from a brand. So it’s often the first thing that pulls us in. (CrowdSpring)
FUN FACTS ABOUT MARKETING
• 73% of consumers prefer a personalized shopping experience. Personalization is critical to standing out. You can start by sending out customized emails or offering special deals. (Demand Metric)
• The top three challenges that content marketers face are finding new content ideas, creating content to drive leads, and generating content that will receive lots of engagement. (Content Marketing Institute)
• Video is the No. 1 content format. (Hubspot)
• 87% of marketers say video has helped to increase site traffic. (wyzowl)
• How-to articles are the most popular form of content at 77%, followed by trends and news at 49% and ebooks and guides at 47%. (Statista)
• When shared by employees, marketing messages reach 561% more people than the brand itself. This is because people are more likely to trust others than a faceless company. (Scribd)
• 67% of online shoppers bought a product after seeing it advertised on social media. Be sure to craft a comprehensive social media marketing strategy. (Internet Retailing)
• 54% of people browse social media because they want more information on potential products to buy. (Global Web-Index)
• 71% of consumers would recommend a brand if they had an excellent social media experience with it. Use a conversational tone when you communicate. (Ambassador)
You found these facts helpful and interesting, didn’t you? And I didn’t even have to make funny faces.
George Farris is CEO of Farris Marketing. Email [email protected].