Information in this blog post was obtained from Neil Patel, Sprout Social, Pretty Little Marketer, and Hubspot.
Brand management and customer experience can be challenging to immerse yourself into, but it doesn’t have to be. How does social media marketing relate to brand management? With an understanding of your brand, you can market your social media content directly to your consumer. Today, brand management and retention are more than selling to your customer, it's about building a relationship. It’s as simple as knowing the brand’s story and then being responsible for that story. What can you do to tell your customers or potential customers a story? How well can you convey the story to others? Why should it be important to them? Answering these crucial questions can pave your path to a brand manager role.
What is a Brand Manager?
Your company’s brand manager focuses on how a specific brand is shared with others and how customers are choosing to interact with said brand.
You might say, “I’m a social media marketing major, why do I care?” Well, you’re also in a position of representing a brand. What you say, images you share, videos you create or even content you curate can have lasting impressions on your brand. So you might as well grab your name tag now, a Sharpie, and write in brand manager under social media marketer. The tips I am about to offer you below can take you from social media marketer to brand manager.
How Do I Position Myself for This Role?
1. Know your brand(s)
Who is the company or the product intended for? Where did they get their start? I love using Starbucks as an example. Starting as a coffee shop offering warmth and a connection to seafaring roots, the brand built upon that idea focusing on coffee culture and relationships. What is your brand's story?
2. Practice voice and tone
Hubspot, one of the leading brands for marketing online and customer relationship management systems, says, " humanizing your brand is no longer just an option, it's a necessity." The internet has helped us take big strides into a digital world but that doesn't mean we can't build a relationship on the other side of the screen. If a customer can't sense that you care about their experience and want to solve their problems, you will lose them. That can make or break a brand.
3. Understand your audience
Create buyer personas of current clients and wish list clients. Understand how to use customer relationship management software. Neil Patel shares the best CRM software you should consider using in 2022, with expert opinions on each CRM available to you. Just basic working knowledge is key - you can read up on it or you might be able to experience it through an internship.
4. Find a creative project or team you can be a part of
Brand management requires you to collaborate often with others. There are a few ways to do this. Are you a part of a student organization that plans events? Get on their board or planning committee. This will strengthen that collaboration muscle. Think of your class group assignment as a work project. How would you interact to propel that project forward?
5. Jump into creative projects
Learn Canva, Photoshop, or InDesign. Don’t try to do it all at once because it can be overwhelming but give yourself small tasks to complete. Can you get an internship working on these specific skills? Pretty Little Marketer, has a quick tip video on how to make a mock-up for social media with no need to use Photoshop. Other tips include using stock templates which in the long run can save you time, according to Sprout Social. Sprout Social includes helpful step-by-step tutorials on Instagram carousels, which is a great way to practice creating and sharing.
Brand management is a worthy career because you're speaking and representing your company to others. Sometimes, no one else can do that but you because you're living the story. Remember, you are the company. Now, share it with others.
Resources
Zote, J. (2022, April 14). How to make a seamless Instagram carousel post. Sprout Social.
Miller, S. (2022, July 14). Make professional mock-ups for your social media content without Photoshop. Pretty Little Marketer Instagram page. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cf--1JdDQR8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Hubspot. Social Media Marketing: How tone & voice make all the difference. https://app.hubspot.com/academy/21359339/tracks/29/265/1435?language=EN
Patel, N. (2022). The best CRM software you should consider using in 2022. Neil Patel. https://neilpatel.com/blog/best-crm-software/
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