Businesses looking outside the box regarding marketing strategies can turn to brand consulting to shake things up. Brand consulting is nothing new or unheard of, and many of the largest companies in the world use it. Retail giant Target, for instance, turns to outside brand consultants to stay at the top of their industry. Ultimately, the fresh perspectives offered by a brand consultant can offer subtle or sweeping changes to how a business operates.
The possibilities of brand consulting are virtually limitless. A company’s brand is a curated image representing who they are and what they value. Likewise, brand image is essential in earning the trust and loyalty of consumers. Therefore, a brand consultant’s job is to assist companies in optimizing their brand strategy to achieve the greatest success.
For an example of how brand consulting can help a business, here’s a look at Target’s recent brand consulting initiatives.
How an Outside Brand Consultant Helped Target
Target has used the help of brand consultants for years to stay on top of the latest retail trends. This includes the global marketing firm Kelton Global.
Together, Target and its brand consultants reenvisioned the retailer’s approach to consumer fashion. This move repositioned them for greater success in both the short and long term.
Affordable & Trendy Fashion
At the heart of Target’s most recent branding initiative is the idea of offering affordable, stylish fashion and decor. As a major general retailer, Target has stiff competition nationwide.
Other large retailers and local businesses alike are competing for Target’s share of the market. Finding a niche that enables Target to be viable and consistent across all regions and markets is crucial to its sustained success.
Luckily, Target’s latest brand initiative allows them to do just that. The combination of fashionable and affordable merchandise has excellent wide appeal while also capitalizing on current trends. Maintaining this plan will require future updates to their retail inventory, but the branding initiative has already proven to be a huge success.
Shopper Segmentation
The other facet of Target’s brand shake-up was reexamining their shopper segmentation strategies. Shopper segmentation is a strategy businesses use to examine their typical customers. This is done by “segmenting” them based on how much they spend, what they buy, and more.
Shopper segmentation is a great way to evaluate (or, in this case, re-evaluate) your company’s market position to best capitalize on your existing market. By bringing in a brand consultant, Target revitalized its merchandising strategies to tailor to some of its most devoted shopper segments. Namely, Target recommitted itself to fashionable, thrifty shoppers looking for high-value and trendy items.
Advantages of Brand Consulting
Fresh, Unbiased Perspective
A company’s brand image is immensely important. Those responsible for cultivating a brand can often feel a personal attachment to it. While this has many positives, it can also help to bring in an outside consultant who has no such attachments.
Brand consultants are able to offer objective insights into a company’s brand, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of its branding efforts.
Expert Insights
Brand consulting offers more than just a fresh perspective. Brand consultants are also experts in branding and marketing. Most top brand consultants offer data-backed analysis and insights that brands might otherwise not have access to.
This can be huge in enabling companies to establish greater brand awareness or reimagine their brand image.
Collaboration
Even if you are already comfortable with your brand image, hiring a brand consultant can still help. Collaborating with other experts, whose input might differ from your own, can allow companies to strengthen an already strong brand identity.
Combining multiple perspectives, all working towards a single goal, often breeds incredible results. Thus, bringing in a brand consultant is one of the best ways for a company to reach its full brand potential.
Searching for Brand Consultants?
If you are on the lookout for a brand consultant to help grow your brand, Web Content Development can help. Our full suite of digital marketing services provides clients with everything they need to thrive and expand their brand online. If you want to learn more about our services or get started with WCD, contact us today.
