They follow us on the road, jump out at us from billboards, chase us in the mail, pursue us on the computer, and of course, we can't escape them on television.
What are they? Political ads. As we enter a vigorous and feisty political season, we see signs and advertisements literally everywhere (and we don't even have a TV).
And we learn that name recognition is essential.
We recently received our primary ballots in the mail. As I looked through the names of candidates running for local offices, I was immediately drawn to those whose names I recognized. Whether that was from signage, meetings, or ads, I was almost automatically drawn to the people I “knew.”
In actuality, I “know” very little about these individuals except their names. I know hardly anything about the policies for which they stand. I've come into close contact with a few of them, but in general, the only thing familiar about many of them is their name. Aand almost automatically, I am drawn to vote for that person.
Wow.
Brand Building
Every politician is about building a brand — who they are and what they represent.
Our businesses follow a similar pattern, but one thing that’s really stuck out to me this political season — especially in local races — is name recognition is essential. If people are more likely to vote for a person based on name recognition, how much more is that true for our use of businesses?
Something subtle in our psyche clues us in, “I recognize that name…they must be good.” Now we obviously need to watch out for that assumption because that’s not necessarily true, but that should tell us a lot of graphic design and advertising.
We need to get out there.
And the better we look, the more of a positive, lasting impression we make.
That’s why we need clean graphic design that gets our point across. Like politicians, we also need to build a brand.
A brand is who your company is at the core, and beyond that, it’s the personality of your company. It’s what guides your business objectives. It’s who you are and how you communicate.
Sound familiar?
Whatever your views on the man himself are, Donald Trump has made himself into a very specific brand. He has a very bombastic, no holds barred way of communicating, and he even has a specific visual identity. (You can picture his hair now, can’t you?)
Accordingly, when you hear his name, you know exactly who it is a person is talking about.
Your Action Item:
One of the ways Donald Trump built his “brand,” is by first being everywhere, then being unique, and finally being consistent.
So what can our businesses learn from this businessman-turned-politician and other politicians? Another key point to take from political signage: be there.
Be everywhere.
Get your name out there. One of the metrics of Influence is familiarity. You can’t be familiar if people don’t know your name. Get out there.
Be unique.
Nobody is the same as Donald Trump. His history, personality, and place in the spotlight have made him an influence to be reckoned with. Nobody can match it. Even if it’s not what you would consider a strength, make your personality, who you are, indispensable and integral to your brand.
Finally, be consistent.
Another reason we know Donald Trump, is for virtually his whole life in public, love him or hate him, he’s had the same polarizing personality. His unique, consistent personality has become instantly recognizable.
In summary, be everywhere. Be unique. Be consistent. That’s how you become memorable.
As a result, if you’re ready for your company to be these things, book a Design Day and we'll help you get started.
Rooting for you!
