Let’s talk first about relevancy. What does it mean to be relevant?
rel·e·vant
ˈreləvənt/
adjective
adjective: relevant
- closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand.
Well, in that case, who doesn’t want to be relevant? Whether personally or professionally, everyone wants to be and feel relevant. This has taken on a new meaning today because of the tremendous amount of options and choices as to where we spend our time and resources; gone are the days of a single choice product or offering.
The increasing speed at which we all operate in today’s new world explains why such an old concept—relevance—is suddenly so important. In today’s world, relevancy means more, especially when thinking about marketing strategy. It means that individuals will resonate and connect with your brand; that whether you’re a B2B or B2C company, your brand will positively effect change in their personal or professional lives.
Here are a few tips on how to create (and keep) a brand that is relevant in today’s fast-changing society:
1. Segment your markets.
We recently rebranded, and one of the first things we realized is that we cannot and should not work with everyone. Our offerings, who we are at the core, what makes us different, will not resonate with everyone. More than that, it won’t be a good fit for everyone. Trying to fit a square peg into a round hole is like trying to make your brand relevant to every person – impossible. That being said, find your sweet spot, your “perfect” customer or consumer and figure out how to most engage and connect with them.
2. See the big picture.
This is why the “where do you see yourself in 10 years?” question is so important. For brands to stay relevant, they have to have a long term vision. More than that, they have to be willing to anticipate change so their corporate brand can ebb and flow with shifts in culture, industry and business without losing their core messaging.
3. Be open to change.
Great brands aren’t recognizable because they played it safe. Getting to the top means you’re willing to try new things, experiment, and take risks. We live in a fast pace world that demands immediate results. If we aren’t willing to take an honest look at how our brand is holding up and make appropriate changes to our messaging, model, clients/consumers, etc., we won’t be relevant (or worse, around) much longer.
4. Be passionate about your brand.
“Either positive or negative comments are good because it shows I’m still relevant.” – Justin Guarini
You can’t be relevant without passion. Companies that keep their brands top of mind and relevant are working tirelessly to achieve the big picture; their vision. They are always looking for new and innovative ways to reach their target audience and push the boundaries.
We’ll end with this example of brand relevancy. An article by Forbes states, “Brands such as Under Armour continue to position themselves with a commitment to meet customers on their own terms, push competitors out of consideration and redefine entire categories—all while being authentic.” The best example I can currently think of is Under Armour’s latest commercial with Michael Phelps. They intertwined a relevant person (Phelps) into a relevant moment in time (the Olympics) all while weaving a story that champions and promotes their message. It’s worth a watch.
