Jingles, advertising music, radio adverts, or even the soundtrack to your mobile applications… we no longer need to introduce the various media in which sound is used. And with good reason: by arousing emotion, encouraging memorability and bringing a unique flavour to a brand, it acts as a strong relay for the customer experience.
Yet audio marketing is still under-exploited by companies, particularly in B2B relations. A lack of expertise, a focus on visuals or simply not knowing how to use audio… The reasons vary, but it is in the best interests of brands to turn to it.
In this article, read our advice on how to incorporate audio into your marketing plan!
Sound, a powerful lever for a 360° brand strategy
For both B2C and B2B companies, sound offers a number of advantages, helping them to :
- Build a brand identity : in the same way as a visual identity, sound helps to give a brand personality. If done properly, a sound logo can identify a brand or a product in just a few seconds. Doubtful? Think about the NETFLIX sound signature!
- Increase customer action and loyalty : sound does not stimulate the interest of prospective customers in the same way as visual communication. Audio, for example, increases memorability tenfold: a well-worded slogan is more likely to stick with consumers.
- Amplify the brand’s reach : audio helps to make a brand recognisable. It ‘s hard to be recognised on the radio without a specific sound signature! Having a sound logo facilitates recognition on communication channels that only include audio. As we often say at Brandy Sound, a radio spot without a sound signature is like a flyer without a logo!
Read also: Audio branding: the sound of your brand
5 essential steps for integrating audio into your marketing plan
As you will have realised, audio has a real impact on your visibility. By extension, it makes your brand unmissable. The key is to integrate it into your marketing plan in a coherent and well thought-out way.
#1 Take your target audience into account
Understanding the needs, preferences and expectations of your prospective customers will enable you to create an audio identity that is likely to appeal to them… and therefore encourage them to buy! The challenge is to take these elements into account to arouse the interest of your prospects in your audio communication, while maintaining consistency with your brand identity.
#2 Assess the competition and define your objectives
For your sound marketing strategy to bear fruit, you need to carefully determine where you stand in relation to the competition. An analysis of your competitors will reveal ways in which you can stand out : in the same way as in design, be careful not to adopt a jingle that is too similar to that of another. For example, in certain sectors, such as banking or insurance, we are beginning to realise that all the players sound the same. It’s up to you to break the codes and introduce new sounds to differentiate yourself!
This approach lays a solid foundation to help you define your objectives precisely. Communicating with sound can serve very different ambitions, such as :
- Embodying your brand identity;
- Promoting a new product or service;
- Highlighting your brand values;
- Increasing the number of contacts or requests for information.
#3 Determine preferred audio communication channels
Once you’ve established your objectives, you need to look at the channels you want to use for your audio marketing strategy. With the development of social networks, the number of audio communication media is multiplying, forcing you to make choices.
Depending on your needs and objectives, you can turn to :
- Either to “classic” media: audiovisual media, your telephone system, or music created for your events.
- Or more innovative media, such as social networks: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and especially LinkedIn are good ways of relaying information using sound.
#4 Target the types of audio you want to promote
The key is to find a format that is suited to your target audience and consistent with the communication channels you have chosen. There’s no point, for example, in publishing long podcasts on channels that favour short formats such as Instagram or TiKTok!
As part of a B2B marketing strategy, here are two particularly effective communication levers:
- The sound logo for rapid identification : just like your visual logo, a sound logo helps to make you emblematic and recognisable even with your eyes closed!
- Creating a complete sound charter : music plays a central role in making your brand resonate at all your physical and digital touchpoints, both emotionally and in terms of memory. Creating a bespoke sound universe can help you make your brand unforgettable for your audience.
See also: How can you make your brand perform through music?
#5 Delegate production to professionals
Creating a sound universe that is consistent with your brand identity and likely to appeal to your prospects requires the mobilisation of time and technical and artistic skills that are rarely available in-house. So to broaden your possibilities and effectively integrate audio into your marketing strategy, don’t hesitate to enlist the help of sound marketing experts.
At Brandy Sound, we design a bespoke audio ecosystem for you, in perfect harmony with your brand identity and adaptable to different communication media and channels. Our aim? To combine our expertise with your vision to create a unique sound identity and give your brand even more personality.
Would you like to find out more? Get in touch with us!
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