5x Product Engagement with Brand
Creating tailored brand experiences can will significantly increase in-product engagement.
Let me share an example with you.
During my time at [insert global tech company here], I established a Brand Management arm built to expand Brand's impact across the organization. I view brand management as a vital business development tool, so any opportunity for growth is an opportunity to leverage Brand.
In establishing new strategic partnerships across the business [sn: let me know if you want a blog post on this in the comments below], I cultivated a relationship with the Engagement Platform team, positioning myself as a Brand partner available to provide strategic insights whenever needed.
This partnership stemmed from my creation of [insert global tech company here]'s first-ever Brand Book, a crucial asset for any company regardless of size, and the development of the company’s first brand positioning by my colleagues and me.
As we rolled out these initiatives, we showcased the profound impact Brand Strategy can have on various business areas. Working with the Engagement Platform team, I emphasized that being "on brand" extended beyond mere logo and color schemes.
Being "on brand" meant that all teams could leverage the core principles of our brand positioning to shape their outputs. Being “on brand” meant that each team had a stake in embodying the company's mission and could ask questions to ensure they upheld the brand promise. Being “on brand” also meant that in-product messaging could reflect the same brand story we told in all of our marketing messages externally.
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"But Mela, can you provide an example?" I sure can!
Here's the case that was presented to me:
Business Problem: The current in-product messaging and onboarding flow for new users were ineffective in educating users about the product, resulting in very low engagement. Inadequate onboarding significantly impacted willingness to engage with the product causing them to remain inactive. Inactive monthly users led IT leaders to reduce the number of "seats" in a product, rightly assuming their employees weren't using the seats. This, in turn, led to reductions in paid seats (read: money) for the company. Huge problem.
Opportunity: Partner with me in Brand to increase engagement with in-product messaging, helping to orient and educate new users about the product's functionality.
Solution: Develop a templated branded solution to:
Leverage brand positioning to orient new users to the product's purpose and value.
Reflect the company's look and feel for brand recognition and attribution.
Original Message: "New to [product name]? Watch this demo for tips to get started quickly!" This popup design was inconspicuous and assumed speed was the users' top priority. There's an opportunity here to understand what truly matters to your customers (read: do some research).
New Message: "Want to excel at team collaboration? See how this product expert uses [this product] to enhance remote collaboration and manage teams!" What did we do differently?
Incorporated the company logo and mirrors the user's screen communicating this product is for you now, not later.
Change the language to reflect the company’s brand promise - to enhance collaboration - and call out relevant topics to demonstrate how the product solves common problems - managing remote teams.
Outcome: We increased in-product messaging engagement by x5! This was huge. With more new users successfully onboarded and engaged, IT leaders can fully utilize the seats they've paid for. Instead of reducing the number of seats, they can share testimonials with Customer Marketing to validate the product's effectiveness in solving business problems.
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Investing in Brand is powerful. This is just one of many examples from my career demonstrating how brand strategy can serve as a business development tool across all areas of a company. Brand directly impacts growth beyond logos and slogans. If leveraged effectively, brand strategy can inform and drive business goals.
Perhaps you're not involved in tech products or SaaS solutions. Maybe you're a real estate agent or work in DEI. Regardless of your role or industry, Brand’s relevance is universal. I'm certain there are principles or strategies you can draw from this blog or perhaps the next one.
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Until next time, friends.
Go for goald. Remember, you're built for it.
- M
