A lot of businesses in Perth experience a downturn in sales over January. One reason could be that, in all of our isolated glory, we haven’t yet conformed to the always-on-economic-agenda of our eastern states counterparts, making January in Perth feel like an extended holiday. Whatever the reason, this extended downtime is not great for business. But it could be great for your brand. 

Many companies choose to simply absorb the month of unbillable overheads with a scaled back, business-as-usual approach. The alternative is recognising the opportunity it presents to invest in strategy for the months ahead. As the modern philosopher Jay Z once said: 

“Whenever there’s a drought, get your umbrellas out, because that’s when I brainstorm.”

The Strategic Starting Point

Starting the year with a proactive approach to working on, rather than in, your business is one of the best ways to ensure future growth. Investing in a marketing strategy gives you a macro perspective on the future of your brand. Start by answering key questions like: 

1. What makes our brand unique and how does that translate into customer outcomes?
2. What is our position in the marketplace compared to our competitors? Is there a space we can own?
3. Who are our customers, really? How can we understand them on a deeper level? Think about their pain points, their world-views, values, even how they order their coffee.
4. How can we frame our story in a way that speaks to our customers’ worldview?
5. How can we build consistency and a strong identity into our brand messaging/ voice?
6. What is the journey our customers go on before buying one of our products?
7. What creative campaigns can we create to support the identity we’ve established?

2021 Consumer Insight Hack

The way today’s customers buy products has fundamentally changed. In 2021, buying a product or service is a form of self expression. In many cases, modern customers use what they buy to tell a story about who they think they are to themselves or others. Quality is only one of the factors that a modern consumer might care about when making a purchasing decision. Speed, security, prestige, accessibility, creativity, complexity, or simplicity are just a few of the many factors that now play into consumer choices. 

Good brand marketing focuses on these story-driven motivations; tapping into the subjective triggers different customers have for why they buy. However, understanding these motivations takes time, research, and oftentimes direct communication with a sample of the target market. Marketing strategy workshops offer a unique opportunity to connect with customers on a deeper level, going beyond demographic data to ask questions about their identity and the brands they use to express themselves. 

What’s So Remarkable About You?

In a market filled with choice, generic brands have little chance of generating high value leads through their marketing efforts. In contrast, emerging challenger brands continue to grow their market share by defining their offering at the very edges of their chosen category. Often these younger, startup style companies have positioned their offering in complete opposition to the market leader. They’ve created a brand for a customer currently being underserved by the status quo. They’ve defined their products and their brand to align to their customer’s values and beliefs. They’ve made the assertion that: 

This is a product for people who believe _______. Nobody else matters.

In order for this marketing strategy to work, it must come from the company’s DNA. Strategies that embellish, invent, or fabricate the qualities that make a brand remarkable do everyone a disservice. Customers are left with expectations that won’t be met and the business sees no return on investment. 

How We Strategise

Dear Storyteller’s philosophy is to investigate remarkability, not invent it. 

Our goal is to discover the genuine, human, essence of a brand and develop creative that showcases that, authentically. We don’t subscribe to a dogmatic playbook on what marketing in certain industries should look like. Our influences know no barriers; , from other industries your customers love, to entertainment engines, and pop culture proclivities.

By formulating a marketing strategy in January, Perth businesses can set themselves up for year long success. It becomes a guidebook to inform each creative brief. The impact of this strategic synergy is content that stays on-brand and campaigns that support your brand promise while delivering the best ROI. 

Pretty remarkable what can be made out of a slow sales month …