A brand is, put simply, a marketing or business concept that helps consumers identify your business, product, and/or services. It includes assets such as a logo, the use of certain colors, patterns, and/or fonts on your website and other publications, the way you handle customer service issues, and the products/services you offer.
The importance of brand identity is clear. Most successful brands are the ones developed intentionally, with careful planning and research to ensure the business is targeting the right audience in the right way. Following is some insight that can help new and even established business owners create a successful brand strategy that will propel the business forward both now and in the future.
Know and Understand Your Audience
If you’re starting a new business, you’ll want to take some time to define your target audience. To do so, you’ll need to consider your products and services and then do some research to discover which group or groups of people would be most interested in what you have to offer.
If your business has been in operation for some time, you likely already have identified your target audience. Even so, it’s wise to check your stats carefully to see if you’re still reaching the right people. You may discover a new target audience in gaining interest in your brand or that a previous target audience is losing interest in what you offer for one reason or another.
Bear in mind that any target audience can almost always be divided into smaller groups or niches. Perhaps, for instance, your products are made for women; this group can be divided by age, geographic location, or ethnicity. If you have a local brick-and-mortar outlet, your target audience is likely the people in your local area; again, this group can be divided into individuals of various ages, genders, and ethnic backgrounds.
Once you have identified your target audience, it’s time to get to know them. Reach out on social media, talk to people who visit your store, or reach out to customers via email marketing. Read positive and negative reviews of your business to gain insight into what customers think about what you offer.
Develop a Brand Identity
As was pointed out above, there are various aspects of a brand identity but some of the most important touch points include:
Business name – It’s all in the name! Or so it’s said. You brand name should be memorable, easy recall and aligned to your niche. Choose your business name should not be something you just jump into, take time to pick a name that is not just for now but that will also be relevant in the future.
Logo design – Like your business, name don’t rush this process, take time to come-up with a design that really speaks to you. One good way to do this is to test different design styles. You can do this with the help of a logo creator, these are AI logo design tools (most are free) and they are excellent for brainstorming logo designs.
Brand colors – One of the overarching touchpoints that shapes your brand identity is the color pallets you use. These colors will flow through all of your brand properties and assets. Choose, your brand colors wisely, the colors you choose should reflect the brand personality that you want to be known for.
Determine Your Goals
Setting goals will help you keep tabs on how your business is doing. You may need to periodically update or adapt them as your business grows; however, your original goals should serve as guideposts to help you ensure your company is on the right track.
Short-term goals can help you make progress to keep your business afloat. These should be actionable and quantifiable. You may want to set a product sale goal for each month or quarter; at the same time, it helps to have a profit goal to ensure your business remains afloat financially.
Long-term goals help you know where you want to be five or ten years from now. Do you plan on eventually expanding your products/service offerings? Do you hope to open branches in other cities, or create new sites or blogs to promote new products/services? Write down these goals along with the steps you need to take to reach them.
Keep your business goals where you can easily see them. If you have employees, make sure they know what your goals are and the role each person needs to play in reaching them. Use a software program to track your progress so you can celebrate your wins and nip challenges in the bud.
Develop Your Customers
Once you have identified your target audience, it’s time to develop a relationship with the people you want to reach. Social media is a great tool for this purpose; select the platforms your potential customers are most likely to use and post content regularly.
At the same time, remember that social media isn’t just about promoting your content. It’s also about listening to what others have to tell you. Encourage your followers to leave comments and share their feelings and opinions. Respond to positive and negative comments alike in a friendly, professional manner. People need to see you care about them and not just your business.
Another way to develop customers is via targeted email marketing. Send personalized emails to customers to ensure each subscriber gets information, links, and offers that are most likely to appeal to him or her personally. Email platforms such as MailChimp offer the tools you need to successfully do this without spending a lot of your time drafting emails.
A rewards or referral program can also help you develop loyal customers. People who are happy with your goods and services will likely tell others about you in any case, but giving a freebie or special discount offer in exchange for a referral cultivates goodwill and brand loyalty. The same can be said for rewards programs.
Unify Your Online Presence
People should be able to readily identify your brand on any platform. This means your website should use the same logo and branding colors as your social media platforms, email newsletters, flyers, and online and offline advertisements.
Keep this point in mind when designing a logo and branding style. Your logo should be scalable so it looks good in any online or offline setting. The font used for your business name should be easy to read no matter where or how it is used.
Your voice and persona should also remain the same on all your platforms. If, for instance, you use a formal, professional tone of voice, the attire used in your YouTube videos should likewise be formal and professional. If you are interviewed for a podcast, your voice should match the style of writing you use online.
Unifying your online presence serves two purposes. First, it helps people readily identify you on any platform. Second, and even more importantly, it builds trust. Consistently helps current and potential customers see you as a professional who can be trusted with their business.
Define What Makes You Unique
What sets you apart from your competitors? Is it price, location, or specialized services? Is it a commitment to helping the environment or serving the local community?
If you aren’t sure about what sets you apart from the competition, take some time to analyze your competitors. See how they promote themselves and what their selling points are. Consider what you offer and how and why it’s better than other, similar products/services. Write down your findings and turn them into selling points that will encourage people to want to do business with you.
Bear in mind your core values can also set you apart and make you unique. Perhaps other companies offer products similar to yours, but people prefer your goods because you are committed to sustainability and only use 100% eco-friendly product components. Maybe you offer a service and your technicians are better trained and friendlier than your competitors. These core values play a role in your branding as they define who you are and what you offer.
Bear in mind that setting yourself apart from the competition is not a one-time task. You’ll need to stay abreast of industry developments to ensure you continually offer top-tier products and services. You’ll also need to periodically research your competition to see if changes they have made will affect your marketing pitch and product/service offerings.
Building a successful brand is a challenging and ongoing process. Even so, the end result is well worth it. You will not only have a successful business now but also long-term as customers come to trust you and then tell others about your brand.
