Dilworth: How to Base Your Brand & Strategy On Your Differentiators

www.dilworthdevelopment.com

NEED:

Dilworth is a well-known and established home and commercial builder in the Auburn, Alabama area. They came to us for a brand audit and strategy session to evaluate what they needed to do next in order to communicate what their business specializes in today. The company has grown and expanded into different areas of home construction over the years but most recently they have refined their offerings and returned to what they love and do best - custom home building.

We began with a comprehensive brand audit, followed by a 2-hour strategy session with the team. This produced recommendations that included a brand re-fresh, a new website, and a strategy that communicated their differentiators.

AUDIENCE:

Their audience is local to the Auburn/Opelika area and the surrounding areas with more focused attention on those who are looking for custom homes and custom commercial builds.

OUR SOLUTION:

We started with the brand re-fresh. We wanted to keep elements of their previous brand (greens and all caps for the name) so that there was some familiarity with the branding. But we wanted to elevate the design to reflect the quality of the work that they do and offer.

While we developed the visual elements of the brand (logos, graphics, colors, fonts) we also worked with Michael on the brand messaging for the new brand. We determined in the first strategy session that there 3 differentiators were quality, creativity, and service.

Many businesses of different industries can claim these differentiators

but it's HOW you communicate and show those differentiators that matter.

They first show up in the brand messaging and then impact the design of every

piece listed below as well as the visual elements such as photography.

We helped Dilworth apply their brand through:

• Business card design and printing with moo.com

• Email Signatures

• Letterhead

• Signage

• Print ads

• Email templates

• Client Gifts

• Apparel

• Social media profile updating and styling

• Three brand photography photoshoots

• Website structure, design, and copy

• Social media strategy and training

LESSON:

How to Base Your Brand & Strategy On Your Differentiators

#1: Pick 3 Differentiators

The most revealing and eye-opening part of a brand meeting with a client is when we ask them 3 sets of questions that almost act as an equation.

Who is your target audience and what is their problem/need?

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How do you meet that problem/need?

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Who is your direct (sell the same product/service) and

indirect (who your audience goes to instead of you) competition?

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How are you different from your competitors?

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Your differentiators, pillars of your brand messaging, and foundation of your strategy!

#2: Communicate Your 3 Differentiators Everywhere

Once you know your differentiators and fleshed-out phrases, descriptions, and a story for your brand messaging - you are now ready to create a strategy across social media, print, web, email, customer service, sales, networking, etc. You will be able to say the same thing consistently no matter if you are writing an ad for social media, writing the copy on your website, or your employees are selling to the community.

As helpful as the words are, don’t forget the visual elements of communication. We were able to communicate quality, creativity, and service for Dilworth through their brand photography. The quality craftsmanship of details in a home, the creativity of design for interiors and exteriors of homes, and the service through client interactions.

What are your 3 differentiators and how will you share them?

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If you need help elevating your brand to keep your business growing,

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