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Top of Mind: what it is, why it's important and how to apply it

Having your brand engraved in people's minds is every entrepreneur's dream. To be a Top of Mind brand, you need to put together strategies and stand out from the competition.

This research is used by many companies to find out what the public's view is in a certain segment .

Have you ever had your brand mentioned in a survey like this? Do you know how Top of Mind works? Check out our article and learn more!

What does top of mind ?

According to the translation, top of mind means top of mind, that is, what each individual remembers first about anything.

When you think of soda, what's the first brand that comes to mind? What about home appliances, razors, steel wool, and clothing? Several brands come to mind, right? These are your Top of Mind companies.

Each person has preferences and brands that are deeply rooted in their thinking. Therefore, Top of Mind is used to measure what is most remembered by a certain segment of the population .

The main question of the Top of Mind survey is precisely the one we asked you: “When we talk about a certain segment, what is the first brand that comes to your mind?

Once you discover what's most deeply rooted in people's minds, you can change your strategic planning, whether to increase your popularity and stand out or to stay on top, always being people's loyal brand.

How is Top of Mind research conducted?

As we have already mentioned, the main question of this research is which brand is remembered first by individuals in a given segment .

This is the essential question, but it is not the only one that makes up the research .

This research is done by sampling and must be carried out with different people to obtain useful results.

Therefore, having information about age, sex, location, employment, social class and consumption habits is extremely important for cross-referencing information.

It is interesting to note that Top of Mind surveys can be spontaneous or induced :

  • In spontaneous interviews , the main question is open and the interviewee answers whatever comes to mind, from neighborhood brands to famous ones, generating broader results.
  • In induced selections , some brands are suggested to consumers, reducing their options. It's an interesting approach for directly comparing competitors.

The Top of Mind survey can be conducted in person, by phone, or online , but it is important to have the support of consultancies, institutes, or partners to ensure that the methodologies are effective and the results are not distorted.

This survey, which can be carried out by many companies, became popular in the early 1990s, when Datafolha began going out on the streets and asking about different categories of products and services.

Since then, the institute has conducted a Top of Mind nationwide, with awards and great visibility.

Why is it important to know the Top of Mind?

Knowing which companies are Top of Mind, and even becoming one of them, is crucial. To do this, you need to understand the competition in your segment and what you need to do to catch up.

Being remembered first has to do with product quality and consumer satisfaction , after all, the public only remembers what was very negative or positive for them.

Being remembered has to do with credibility, and there's nothing better than being a reference in your field .

Before reaching the top, it takes a lot of work, investment in marketing , good customer relationships and a trustworthy image, achieved through constant processes and measurement of results.

And, even before conducting Top of Mind research, you need to know your audience and their journey . After all, there are people your company will reach more easily, and others who will require more effort.

After reaching Top of Mind

Even after reaching this Top of Mind level, you need to work to stay in people's minds and earn their trust.

Of course, to become a brand mentioned in these surveys, planning, goals and strategies are necessary, and there are some fundamental resources for this, such as brand consistency, identity and audience focus .

To be a brand remembered by the public, it's essential to be consistent and present . There's no point in advertising for a few months and then disappearing. The public memorizes information they receive constantly, so brands need to be regularly exposed .

Knowing your audience is essential for any strategy, especially to stay at the top of these searches . It's crucial to understand who will be most likely to use your product or service , and they should be the main focus of your brand's exposure.

Even if the consumer doesn't use that brand exactly at that moment, if you are consistent in their mind, when they need your segment, your name will come up.

Another important aspect is brand identity. People associate names with images and logos. And it's no different with products and services. Your brand will be remembered for its design , colors, communication, customer service, and more.

Ensuring that your brand's expression is understood is essential to getting into people's minds. 

Conclusion

The Top of Mind survey is able to establish a vision of the strength that brands have in the market and among the most diverse audiences .

It's also an opportunity to find out what's missing to stand out and identify new opportunities to launch products or services.

A brand that is well remembered by the public certainly has great advantages and can be the choice of many consumers .

It's important to always keep in mind that consumers today have no shortage of options. Quite the opposite is true: the variety is so vast that sometimes they can't even choose.

With so many products and services available, those that best convey messages, combine service with customer experience , and are seen stand out. After all, the maxim " out of sight, out of mind" is more than true for this type of research.

Furthermore, they provide important information about consumer purchasing options and preferences, making them very relevant to business strategies .

Have you ever conducted a Top of Mind survey at your company? Do you believe your brand is present in people's minds? Now that you know a little more about the topic, take advantage of Harmo . Brazil's first and only platform for online reputation management and satisfaction surveys!

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