Opening a new brewery presents enough challenges for you to worry about. Marketing shouldn’t be one of them. And MKR is here to make it even simpler. We’ve already discussed the don’ts of beer marketing. So, we thought it was time for some dos. Our team of experts came up with some must-haves of beer marketing.
Let’s talk about your brand
Branding starts with the basics. Finding the right name, colors, logos, and tagline. It’s the “little things” that can impact the initial brand impression the most. Which is why it’s important to carefully consider all your options — make mockups, test color palettes, get creative with design. When done right, branding can really stick with customers. So pay attention to the details.
However, branding isn’t all about the basics. The positioning process is equally important.
Looking for differentiation will depend on who your competitors are and how they’re going to market.
Your brand must carve out a positioning space that fulfills a need that either isn’t currently being met — or isn’t being met very well. Look for those open spaces where emotional or functional needs are present and plant your flag. When your audience experiences your brand through the creative, are they surprised, delighted, or entertained? Or did you show them something that they’ve already seen a million times?
Just remember to be true to what your brand ultimately represents. Brands are like people, and your audience can sniff out a fake. Being sincere, authentic, and consistent is key.
Aim for the bullseye
We often mention finding your target audience, and it’s imperative for establishing your new brand on the scene. You have to know who you’re selling to and how to connect with them better than the competition.
Dig below the surface level and analyze every potential avenue. What emotional needs do they have? What are they looking for when it’s time to relax, unwind, or reward themselves? Think about their drinking occasions and the places they gather. There’s a lot to learn here.
It’s important work that’s 100 percent necessary before positioning a new brand. Of course, you’ll have stakeholders to speak to, and gathering their input is critical — so take your time. There are a lot of agencies that can help you with this discovery process (including ours). But you can take this on yourself with a bit of time and support. As long as you’re curious, well-organized, and highly motivated.
Ultimately, the audience decides what succeeds. It’s critical to know your audience better than your competitors, and to create the kind of brand experiences that people want and deserve.
Make your presence known
If you’ve done your homework, you should have a pretty good sense of what makes your audience tick. Give them the kind of content they’re looking for. Be bold. Be engaging. What do they want to see in their feed? Give the people what they want, but do it in a way that’s unexpected.
Don’t waste your social media potential by posting the expected — open hours, a stagnant photo of a new brew, or dull copy that lacks voice and personality. Consider, instead, giving the audience a peek behind the curtain. Who is making these brews? How did you think up the drink’s name? What flavors are combined and why? Get creative with it.
A soft place to land
Your website or landing page is the one place for advancing your brand, voice, and product 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Make sure every element is a reflection of your brand.
Here are a few pointers:
- Keep copy short and easily digestible. Getting too technical or being too wordy makes content unrelatable and loses attention fast.
- Pay attention to site and page organization. A site that’s easy to navigate and find information on makes users stick around longer.
- Build trust with your website audience — as this reflects on their trust in your company. This means securing your site. Have cookie and privacy policies and let visitors know what you do with their information.
- Use high-quality images, well-written copy, error-free pages, and quick load times.
- Don’t overlook the power of CTAs and use them appropriately.
Now that you’ve got some starting points, go make the most of your brand. Still stuck or looking to work with an agency full of hops-loving marketing aficionados? MKR would love to help your beer brand take off. Let’s chat.