Why You Need a Brand Development Expert

When company funds are running low, budget allocation for marketing-related efforts is usually the first to get slashed, preventing the hiring of experts in such fields as brand development and management. The truth is, regardless of size, scope of operations, or number of years in the industry, every company requires their services.

Here is a list of the skills that they experts can bring to the table.

Marketing communications. Brand development experts usually have a strong background in marketing communications. Beyond knowing the rules of grammar and spelling, they understand the need to have compelling content that works to build the brand. And it’s not just the written content they should have mastered or have an eye for, but also graphic design. They should know if there are too many elements and messages you want to combine in one material, or if it will not appeal to your target market.

Media and public relations. At some point, promoting your brand will involve holding events for the press and/or the general public, and it is the brand development expert who usually serves as the “face” of your brand, if you are not a big enough company to have a celebrity endorser. This means that they will be the ones to speak about the brand offerings, and the value that these bring to the lives of your consumers. They should look and sound authoritative but also amiable and relatable for the press, as well as your suppliers, partner merchants, distributors, and the consuming public.

Collaboration and coordination. Brand development experts are also in charge of coordinating with different parties for collaborative efforts to promote the brand. The list may include suppliers, printers, event management companies, graphic artists, and advertising agencies. One should be able to communicate the company’s marketing goals to each of these parties, and ensure that their deliverables are indeed contributing towards their realization.

Market research design and analysis. Typically, a company can enlist the services of market research agencies to conduct studies for product and brand development. The brand manager can contribute in the creation of the list of questions that will be targeted in the data gathering. Moreover, the brand manager can look into the results of these studies, to know how they can be used to promote the brand’s popularity and the effectiveness of the brand identity components. For example, they will know if it’s time to replace the company logo, or tagline, marketing materials, or product packaging.