Category: Entrepreneurship

There’s a surprising number of Amazon FBA sellers who don’t think that branding is important.

They believe that it’s okay to sell the same product as everybody else as long as they offer a better price.

This strategy can be viable in the short term but it is rarely sustainable for the long term.

You do not want to settle for being the cheapest in the market. You don’t want to compete with other Amazon sellers that also think the same.

It will become a competition of who can set their prices the lowest. This will hurt your profit margin.

What you want is to be able to compete with other sellers even if your prices are not the lowest. And you can do that through branding.

Reasons to Start Brand Building Today

You need to get started on your Amazon FBA brand development strategy as soon as possible.

And here is why:

Stand Out from the Sea of “Me Too” Products

95 million Americans have Amazon Prime memberships.

Consumers purchased over 100 million products on Prime Day 2018. These two Amazon 2018 stats are proof that Amazon is a lucrative marketplace.

Amazon gives its FBA sellers the chance to make it big quick.

The benefits being so great is also a disadvantage. Everyone wants in on the action. Thousands and thousands of new sellers join Amazon each month.

This creates a sea of “me too” products, where everyone is selling the same white-labelled products and using the same strategies. Many of the listings end up becoming indistinguishable.

Escape the Saturation Plague

A significant part of Amazon sellers offers generic products.

This causes the marketplace to suffer from a high level of saturation.

Market saturation is one of the most glaring Amazon issues. This makes it a lot harder for a new seller to enter his desired niche.

After all, it’s hard to stand out when a thousand other sellers offer the same product as you do.

You can change this with branding and actually stand out.

This doesn’t mean just slapping on a logo. It means taking the deliberate path of creating a brand that means something, that has values, that has a story, and goes beyond just the logo.

Charge a Premium Instead of Being a Commodity

Selling is all about perception.

Make consumers think that what you’re selling is different.

This will allow you to make them buy even if your prices are higher.

There can be no better example of this than Yeti’s $300 cooler. People were shell-shocked.

It was surprising that consumers were actually willing to shell out 300 bucks for a cooler.

It was so baffling that it became a popular meme.

But even if it became a meme and was considered outlandish by many…Yeti is getting the last laugh.

Because while other people sell coolers for $80, they are able to sell their’s for triple the price. And it works.

Build a Brand That Demands a Premium

So what gave Yeti the audacity to charge so much for a cooler?

Yeti believed in its brand.

While most Amazon sellers focus on being the cheapest, Yeti did a 180 and decided to be the most expensive.

This was possible because Yeti was able to establish itself as a premium brand.

When consumers buy a Yeti product, they don’t pay only for that product. They also have to pay for the brand.

Develop Customer Loyalty & Build a Loyal Fan Base

When was the last time you bought a generic product online and remembered the seller?

It’s hard to build customer loyalty when your customers can’t even remember your name.

And what can’t they remember your name? You’re selling the same unbranded product as everybody else so why would they bother?

In the minds of consumers, there’s no reason to remember you.

They believe that they can get the same product from another seller. It won’t matter if they can’t find you again so there is no point in remembering you.

But if you spend the time and effort to build a brand that focuses on them, they will remember you and think of you.

Build a Brand That Inspires Confidence

The first step to building a loyal fan base is creating a brand that commands trust and respect.

Let’s look back at Yeti. Imagine a lesser-known brand selling a $300 cooler. Consumers would most likely dismiss it as nonsense. Some will even outright laugh at the foolishness of it.

The $300 cooler only worked because Yeti did it.

What did Yeti’s loyal customers do after they heard about the $300 cooler?

They rationalized that the cooler must be far superior to other coolers. They didn’t feel skeptical. They believe that Yeti always gives them the right value for their money.

Build a Superior Customer Experience

By having your own brand, you can offer your customers a unique experience.

You can engage your fan base on social media. You can convince them that you care for them. Show them you respect their feedback.

Consumers love the feeling that the seller actually cares.

Publish useful and/or interesting content on a regular basis. This will make consumers want to follow you. Make them look forward to new products you are planning to sell.

Become a Trusted Resource of Your Niche

Build a thriving community around your brand.

Become that dependable friend.

Be the first thing consumers think of when they need to buy something.

Think of ways to offer a customer experience consumers can’t find anywhere else.

For example, you can offer to send articles on how someone can make the most out of a product they bought. All they have to do is provide you with their email. You can then use the collected email as leads for your next marketing strategy.

Enjoy Creative Freedom Through Brand Longevity

It’s easier for an Amazon FBA seller to be creative when they know that they have a fan base that will give them a shot.

Knowing your loyal customers are there for you will give you peace of mind.

You’ll have more confidence to launch a contest or event. All you need is one viral campaign to make your popularity explode.

And each surge in popularity helps ensure the longevity of your brand and your business.

Don’t be Afraid to Defy Conventional Marketing Wisdom

Remember KFC’s 11 Herbs and Spices Twitter campaign of 2017?

All KFC did was follow only 11 people on Twitter: the five original Spice Girls and six guys named herb. Then KFC waited for someone to notice.

Remember what happened when someone finally did and twitted about it?

That original tweet had been favorited more than 700,000 times. It also received more than 300,000 comments.

Why did KFC come up with that campaign? It knew it had enough Twitter followers to make it work.

Branding is essential if you want to be a successful Amazon FBA seller.

You will be another generic seller in a wide sea of generic sellers if you don’t.

Building your brand should be one of your top priorities. A strong brand will give you the competitive advantage you need.

Your brand will ensure your business will remain sustainable for the foreseeable future.