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How brand awareness works
In the first blog of this series, Brand awareness: what it is and why it matters for your business, we covered the basics of what brand awareness actually is and why it’s so important.
But knowing you need it is one thing. Understanding how it works? That’s an entirely different thing and quite important when it comes to building a business that people remember and trust.
The psychology behind brand awareness
Brand awareness isn’t just about slapping your logo on everything or posting on social media every day. It’s about creating a connection in people’s minds, so when they need what you offer (known as ETON – the exclusive time of need), your business is the first one they think of.
This happens because of a few key psychological principles (don’t worry, I’ll keep this short and not too boring):
- Repetition
The more often people see or hear about your brand, the more familiar it becomes. And familiarity builds trust. If you’ve ever found yourself automatically reaching for a well-known product on the supermarket shelf, that’s repetition at work. - Emotional connection
People don’t just buy products or services; they buy into brands they relate to. Whether it’s through storytelling, shared values, or a strong personality, businesses that create an emotional connection stand out. - Association
Our brains are wired to connect things. If your brand is consistently associated with a particular value (e.g., reliability, innovation, friendliness), over time, that’s how people will think of you.
This is why brand awareness needs to be nurtured. You’re not just chasing one-time visibility, you’re building familiarity and a connection over time so that when your ideal client is ready to buy, you’re the business they think of.
How customers develop familiarity with brands
So, how does a brand go from being completely unknown to the first one people think of?
Well, just like Pantene, it doesn’t happen overnight, but will happen (did you see what I did there… if you didn't that's brand awareness at play).
Getting people familiar with your brand follows a fairly predictable path.
I like to refer to this path as the brand ramp. It’s a simple way to visualise the path of how people move from not knowing who you are to actively choosing you and referring you too.
The brand ramp looks something like this:
Getting someone from no-mans land to advocate takes time.
We say it all the time in marketing – there’s no magic silver bullet that’s going to get you there overnight.
Building brand awareness and familiarity is not just about running one ad or posting on social media once a week. It’s about consistent, strategic visibility across multiple touchpoints.
So, let’s look at each stage and what you can do to move up the brand ramp and get your ideal clients more familiar with you.
1. Moving from no-mans land to Aware: getting on the radar
At this stage, people are seeing your brand for the first time. Maybe it’s through social media, word of mouth, a Google search, or a sponsorship. They may not consciously register it, but their brain is already starting to store the information.
2. Brand recognition: building familiarity and awareness
Now, people have seen your brand a few times, and it’s starting to feel familiar. They might recognise your logo, your colours, or the way you communicate. This is where consistency is crucial. If your branding is all over the place, recognition takes longer (or doesn’t happen at all).
3. Brand recall: staying top of mind for consideration
This is when brand awareness is really working. A potential client has a problem, and instead of Googling random solutions, they think of you. Maybe they’ve seen your content online, heard about you from a friend, or engaged with your business before. Either way, they know what you offer and they remember you when it matters.
4. Brand preference: becoming the go-to choice
The ultimate goal of brand awareness is not just to be known but to be preferred. When customers actively choose your business over others, (because they know and trust you, like your values, or simply feel more comfortable with your brand), then you’ve built strong brand awareness.
5. Becoming your ideal client/customer: turning awareness into advocacy
Finally, we know all your work in building brand awareness has done its job when not only do people know your business, but they’ve chosen to work with you and now trust you enough to recommend you to others. These are your advocates, aka your ideal clients who keep coming back, refer new business your way, and actively promote your brand.
When clients move from preference to purchase and then to advocacy, they become a powerful part of your brand awareness strategy. Word-of-mouth, testimonials, and client referrals strengthen brand awareness even further, helping new potential clients move through the brand ramp more quickly.
This is why brand awareness isn’t just about getting noticed, it’s about building long-term trust and relationships that turn clients into advocates.
What does this look like in action?
Let’s look at some real-world examples (without naming names) to show how this process works.
- A local plumbing company
Through a mix of social media, community sponsorships, and word-of-mouth referrals, they’ve become the first name people think of when they have a plumbing emergency. Their reliable, approachable branding reinforces that they’re the safe choice. - A boutique winery
By consistently telling their story, showing behind-the-scenes content, and positioning their wines as premium and unique, they’ve created strong brand recognition. Customers don’t just look for ‘red wine’, they look for their specific label. - A pet-sitting business
Their brand awareness is built through a clear, caring message that prioritises pets’ well-being. Regular social media updates, client testimonials, and a ‘pets first’ philosophy make them the trusted choice for in-home pet care.
How to build brand awareness and make it stick
Brand awareness doesn’t happen by accident, so you won’t need to seek out Rhonda and Ketut.
It takes consistency, visibility, engagement, value, and patience. Here’s what that actually looks like in practice:
Consistency – Be recognisable, everywhere
If your branding, messaging, and tone of voice are all over the place, it’s going to take a lot longer for people to recognise and remember you (if they do at all).
Consistency is what turns a business name into a familiar presence. For example:
- Use the same logo, colours, and fonts across your website, social media, emails, and marketing materials.
- Keep your messaging aligned. Don’t say one thing on Instagram and something totally different in a networking pitch. Your messages don’t have to be identical but they need to be consistent. Tip: set up your content pillars so you have consistent messaging designed to meet your marketing goals. You can read more about that here.
- Show up regularly, so people start associating you with your industry and the service you provide. The number of people who come up to me and say “oh, you’re starfish marketing”. It’s because I’m consistent with showing up, with my marketing materials and messaging – and therefore recognisable.
Recognition takes repetition. The more often people see and hear the same branding, the faster they’ll remember you.
Visibility – Show up where your ideal clients are
Brand awareness isn’t just about shouting into the void, it’s about getting in front of the right people, in the right places. That means:
- Using social media strategically, not just posting for the sake of it.
- Networking, both online and in person, so people connect a face to the brand.
- Partnering with complementary businesses to introduce your brand to new audiences.
- Investing in targeted advertising when it makes sense, so your brand reaches more of the people who actually need your service.
The goal is not to be everywhere, it’s to be in the places that matter to your ideal clients. So the above list might actually be different for you. Remember, being in the right place place (at the right time) means really knowing your ideal clients.
Engagement – Be more than just a logo
Posting content is one thing. Actually interacting with people is what builds brand awareness that lasts.
- Reply to comments and messages, don’t just post and ghost.
- Start conversations instead of just broadcasting information.
- Be present in industry groups or online communities where your ideal clients are.
People don’t remember businesses that feel like faceless corporations. They remember the ones that talk, engage, and show personality.
Value – Give people a reason to care
Why should anyone follow, remember, or engage with your brand? Because you’re offering them something useful.
That could be:
- Helpful content (educational tips, how-tos, insights)
- Entertaining posts (relatable industry humour, behind-the-scenes content)
- Strong storytelling (your journey, client success stories, case studies)
If all you do is sell, sell, sell, people will tune out. But if you consistently provide something valuable, they’ll stick around. And when they do need your service, you’ll be the first business they think of.
Patience – Play the long game
Brand awareness really is like Pantene – it doesn’t happen overnight. You’re not going to post one blog, run one ad, or go to one networking event and suddenly be the most recognised business in your industry.
But keep showing up, being consistent, and delivering value, and over time, people will:
- Recognise your business
- Know what you do
- Trust you enough to choose you when they need your service
And that’s when brand awareness starts turning into clients, referrals, and long-term business growth.
Making brand awareness work for you
If there’s one takeaway from this, it’s that brand awareness isn’t a quick win—it’s a long-term strategy.
It’s about:
- Showing up consistently
- Building trust over time
- Creating familiarity so that when people need your service, you’re the first business they think of
The next blog in this series will cover how to measure brand awareness, because knowing how well your brand is being recognised is just as important as building it in the first place.
Need help strengthening your brand awareness? Let’s chat.
