In a crowded marketplace, newcomer brands often face significant challenges in gaining visibility and establishing themselves in the minds of consumers. Building top-of-mind awareness (TOMA) is crucial for these brands to ensure they become the first choice when customers are ready to make a purchase. However, this task is easier said than done, especially when managing challenges like Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) violations and ensuring consistent pricing across resellers.
Let’s explore strategies for how newcomer brands can build top-of-mind awareness while addressing potential pricing pitfalls.
What is Top of Mind Awareness (TOMA)?
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Top-of-mind awareness is the brand or product that first comes to mind when a consumer thinks of a category. For example, when people think of “soda,” Coca-Cola is often the first brand mentioned. Achieving this status means that your brand has not only captured consumer attention but also maintained it over time. For a newcomer, breaking through the noise to achieve TOMA requires a strategic approach that encompasses all aspects of brand management, from marketing to pricing.
1. Developing a Strong Brand Identity with Top of Mind Awareness
The cornerstone of building TOMA is establishing a strong and distinctive brand identity. This includes a compelling brand story, a unique visual identity, and a consistent message that resonates with the target audience. A strong brand identity not only differentiates a newcomer from established competitors but also helps build a loyal customer base.
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• Crafting a Unique Brand Story
A brand story is more than just a narrative; it’s the foundation of your brand’s identity. It should highlight your values, mission, and the unique benefits you offer to customers. The story should connect with your target audience on an emotional level, creating a memorable impression that sticks in their minds.
• Designing a Memorable Visual Identity
A consistent and visually appealing brand identity—comprising your logo, color scheme, typography, and overall design—helps in creating a lasting image in the consumer’s mind. Every visual element should align with your brand’s message and values, ensuring that whenever consumers see your brand, it evokes the right emotions and associations.
• Ensuring Consistent Messaging
Consistency is key when it comes to brand messaging. Whether through social media, advertising, or customer service, the tone, style, and message should be uniform across all platforms. This consistency helps reinforce your brand identity and ensures that consumers know what to expect from your brand.
2. Leveraging Digital Marketing Channels for Top of Mind Awareness
Digital marketing is indispensable for newcomer brands seeking to build top-of-mind awareness. With the right strategies, digital platforms can amplify your brand’s presence, engage your target audience, and keep your brand top of mind.
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• Utilizing Social Media
Social media platforms are crucial for reaching and engaging with your audience. By creating and sharing content that resonates with your audience, you can build a community around your brand. Encourage user-generated content and social sharing, as these can significantly increase your brand’s visibility and credibility.
• Content Marketing
Content marketing is another powerful tool for building TOMA. By creating valuable, informative, and engaging content, you position your brand as an authority in your industry. Blogs, videos, infographics, and podcasts can all contribute to this effort, helping to keep your brand at the forefront of your audience’s mind.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is vital for ensuring that your brand appears at the top of search engine results when potential customers look for products or services in your category. By optimizing your website and content with relevant keywords, you can drive organic traffic and improve your brand’s visibility. Keywords such as “MAP violations,” “reseller price monitoring,” and “minimum advertised price violations” can be particularly relevant if your brand operates in an industry where pricing consistency is a concern.
3. Implementing Effective MAP Policies
As you work to build top-of-mind awareness, it’s critical to maintain consistent pricing across all sales channels. This is where Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policies come into play. MAP policies help protect your brand’s value and prevent price wars that can erode consumer trust. However, enforcing these policies requires vigilance and the right tools.
Image Source: Understanding Minimum Advertised Price Violations
• Establishing a Clear MAP Policy
A well-defined MAP policy is the first step in ensuring pricing consistency. This policy should clearly outline the minimum price at which your products can be advertised and sold by resellers. Communicate this policy to all your resellers and make sure they understand the importance of adhering to it.
• Monitoring Reseller Compliance
To effectively enforce your MAP policy, it’s essential to monitor reseller pricing regularly. Reseller price monitoring tools can automate this process, alerting you to any MAP violations. By addressing these violations promptly, you can maintain pricing integrity and protect your brand’s reputation.
• Addressing MAP Violations
Ignoring MAP violations can have serious consequences. Not only can it lead to price wars, but it can also damage your brand’s perceived value. Consumers may begin to associate your brand with discounts and deals rather than quality and reliability. To prevent this, adopt a proactive approach to dealing with MAP violations.
• Zero-Tolerance Policy
Consider implementing a zero-tolerance policy for resellers who violate your MAP agreements. This might involve issuing warnings, reducing discounts, or even terminating partnerships with repeat offenders.
• Legal Action
In cases of persistent violations, legal action may be necessary. While this should be a last resort, it underscores the seriousness with which you take your MAP policy and your commitment to protecting your brand.
4. Engaging in Influencer and Affiliate Marketing to Maintain Top of Mind Awareness
Influencer and affiliate marketing can play a significant role in building top-of-mind awareness for newcomer brands. By partnering with influencers and affiliates who align with your brand’s values and audience, you can leverage their reach to enhance your brand’s visibility and credibility.
• Choosing the Right Partners
The success of influencer and affiliate marketing largely depends on choosing the right partners. Look for individuals or entities that have a strong following among your target audience and whose values align with your brand. Authenticity is key—consumers can easily spot insincere endorsements, which can do more harm than good.
• Developing Authentic Partnerships
Rather than one-off promotions, aim to build long-term relationships with influencers and affiliates. Encourage them to genuinely use and endorse your products, and collaborate on content that feels organic rather than forced. This approach helps build trust with their audience, which in turn strengthens your brand’s top-of-mind awareness.
• Measuring Performance
Track the performance of your influencer and affiliate marketing campaigns to understand what works and what doesn’t. Use metrics such as engagement rates, referral traffic, and conversion rates to gauge success and refine your strategies accordingly.
5. Using Data Analytics to Refine Strategies
Building TOMA is an ongoing process that requires continuous evaluation and adjustment. Data analytics can provide valuable insights into consumer behavior, campaign performance, and the effectiveness of your MAP policies.
• Analyzing Customer Behavior
Use data analytics tools, like 42Signals’ voice of customer analytics, to track how customers interact with your brand across different touchpoints. This includes monitoring website traffic, social media engagement, email open rates, and sales data. By understanding these patterns, you can identify what drives consumer interest and adjust your strategies to enhance top-of-mind awareness.
• Refining Marketing Strategies
Based on the insights gained from data analytics, refine your marketing strategies to better align with consumer preferences. For example, if a particular piece of content or social media campaign resonates well with your audience, consider creating similar content to maintain momentum.
• Continuously Monitoring MAP Compliance
In addition to marketing analytics, continue monitoring reseller pricing to ensure ongoing compliance with your MAP policy. This not only protects your brand’s pricing integrity but also contributes to maintaining consumer trust and TOMA.
Conclusion
Building top-of-mind awareness for newcomer brands is a multifaceted challenge that requires a strategic and consistent approach.
Navigating challenges such as MAP violations and reseller price monitoring is critical to maintaining your brand’s integrity and ensuring that consumers continue to associate your brand with quality and reliability. Don’t leave your brand’s reputation to chance.
Schedule a demo with us and learn how we can help you achieve top-of-mind awareness while effectively managing MAP violations and reseller pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get top-of-mind awareness?
Top-of-mind awareness (TOMA) is achieved when a brand is the first that comes to a consumer’s mind within a specific industry or product category. To achieve this, businesses should:
- Consistently Advertise – Maintain a strong presence through digital ads, TV, social media, and print marketing.
- Leverage Content Marketing – Publish valuable blogs, videos, and infographics that educate and engage consumers.
- Use Social Media Effectively – Regularly interact with audiences through engaging posts, stories, and influencer collaborations.
- Deliver Exceptional Customer Experience – Word-of-mouth referrals and positive reviews reinforce brand recall.
- Stay Active in PR & Events – Sponsorships, industry expos, and community events help keep a brand visible.
Example: Coca-Cola maintains top-of-mind awareness by running high-impact advertising campaigns and having strong in-store visibility.
What does top-of-mind mean?
Top-of-mind refers to the brand or product that a consumer instantly thinks of first when asked about a particular category. It is a sign of strong brand recognition and loyalty.
Example: If someone asks, “What’s the first fast-food brand you think of?” and you answer McDonald’s, that means McDonald’s holds top-of-mind awareness in your perception of fast food.
Is top-of-mind awareness the same as brand recall?
Not exactly. While they are related, there is a difference:
- Top-of-Mind Awareness (TOMA) – The first brand that comes to a consumer’s mind. (Example: “What’s the first soda brand you think of?” → Coca-Cola.)
- Brand Recall – The ability to remember multiple brands in a category without assistance. (Example: “Name three soft drink brands” → Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Sprite.)
- Brand Recognition – The ability to identify a brand when prompted. (Example: Seeing the Nike swoosh and knowing it’s Nike.)
Key Difference: TOMA is the highest level of brand recall, where only one brand dominates consumer memory.
How do you drive top-of-mind awareness?
Businesses can drive top-of-mind awareness by:
- Running High-Frequency Marketing Campaigns – Repetitive exposure through ads, billboards, and social media. (Example: Apple’s yearly iPhone launch ads.)
- Using Catchy Brand Slogans & Jingles – Memorable phrases help stick in consumers’ minds. (Example: McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It.”)
- Maintaining a Strong Social Media Presence – Posting regularly, engaging with users, and leveraging influencers. (Example: Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign on Instagram.)
- Optimizing SEO for Brand Visibility – Ranking high in search engines so consumers always find your brand first. (Example: HubSpot dominating marketing-related search queries.)
- Leveraging Personalization & Retargeting Ads – Reminding customers of past interactions to reinforce brand memory.
