Reach Your Target Market By Defining Your Brand Personality

If you’re in business, you probably have a logo, website, blog, newsletter, social media presence, and printed marketing materials. All those things help customers find you – but does it make them want to do business with you? That question is often answered by the personality of your business, so, how do you define your brand’s personality? What steps have you taken to share your brand personality with your target market?

Let’s start by defining what brand personality means. Your brand’s personality is almost like a person’s personality. Investopedia defines it this way: “Brand personality is a set of human characteristics that are attributed to a brand name. A brand personality is something to which the consumer can relate; an effective brand increases its brand equity by having a consistent set of traits that a specific consumer segment enjoys. This personality is a qualitative value-add that a brand gains in addition to its functional benefits.”

In other words, it’s the emotional appeal of the qualities and characteristics connected to your brand. It includes traits like distinctiveness, sincerity, intelligence, capability, and sophistication. It creates a bond and connection with your ideal consumers and gives them a feeling of knowing and appreciating your business. Now that you know what it is, you need to be able to clearly identify your brand’s personality for your internal team and for marketing purposes.

For example, the personality of a luxury brand might be sophistication, elegance, opulence, and wealth perception. Those personality traits speak to a particular demographic. Understanding that makes marketing easier and more effective. Similarly, the personality of an electronics firm might be ultra-modern, edgy, innovative, and state-of-the-art. Those personality traits inspire confidence in electronics buyers. Other personality traits might include other-focused traits like giving back and community advocacy. Today’s consumers love knowing their dollars are doing more than adding to corporate or small business coffers. They want to know the money they spend is helping people in need and contributing to good works. If that profile fits your business, include it in your brand identity.

Start defining your brand’s personality by clearly – almost ruthlessly – defining your ideal consumers. Until you can pinpoint who your ideal consumer is, you can’t know what will appeal to them. Then give your business a voice – even if it’s only in your head. Is the voice of your business gruff or soothing, raspy or clear, bass or soprano, a screech or a whisper? As your brand personality begins to take shape, ask yourself these questions: Is your brand traditional or cutting edge, serious or humorous, passive or bold, classic or whimsical? The answers to these questions will help you more clearly define what your business is in your eyes and what your target market perceives it as.

Whether it’s fun-loving, sophistication, trustworthiness, or creativity, once your brand personality is defined, it should be part of every avenue of your marketing. Your brand’s personality must show up cohesively in your color choices, imagery, and verbiage. It must show up in your social media channels, URL, and print marketing. At DPRINT, our graphic design team understands the importance of creating a visual identity that clearly depicts your brand’s personality and reaches your target market. Contact our graphic design team today to start developing your visual identity.