The power of your brand is pivotal in determining your triumph, whether you’re embarking on a new venture in ecommerce or striving to enhance your existing business.
Your brand is what determines how your customers, competitors, and community perceive you. Creating a strong and respected brand requires a long term perspective, rather than simply completing a few tasks on a checklist.
This introductory guide will cover the fundamentals of brand strategy and branding, and also emphasize the advantages of establishing a powerful brand.
Branding
Establishing a unique image for a company among its intended audience and customers is what branding entails. Essentially, branding encompasses a business’s emblem, appearance, purpose, and mode of communication. However, a brand’s identity is also influenced by the caliber of its offerings, its customer care, and even its pricing strategy.
Branding your company involves developing a website that outlines what you provide, crafting advertisements to market your products and services, choosing distinct corporate hues to represent your organization, fashioning a logo, and showcasing it on all of your social media profiles. Essentially, this process molds people’s attitudes and beliefs about your enterprise.
Even if you don’t develop a deliberate brand strategy, your brand will still exist. Poor customer service, for instance, can have a negative impact on customers’ perception of your company. You could end up being known as a company that is unconcerned about its customers, just as easily as you could establish yourself as a brand that surpasses expectations.
The ultimate truth about your brand lies in the opinions expressed by your customers, not the ones you hope for. Their perception of your business, good or bad, is formed based on their experiences and is what comes to mind when they think of your name.
Your branding strategy and brand management plan hold great significance, which is why they should not be overlooked.
Why You Should Take Branding Seriously
Scarcely any enterprise commences with the intention of establishing an untrustworthy or undesirable brand. A multitude of entrepreneurs launch a business with a magnificent goal of supplying excellent merchandise, at an excellent price, and engendering devoted customers for eternity.
Regardless of whether you invest in building a strong brand identity or not, you will still have a brand. Hence, it is better to seize every opportunity to thrive.
The objective of building a brand is to facilitate your customers’ comprehension of your offerings and their benefits by utilizing efficient positioning. However, brand building is not limited to a singular USP; rather, it encompasses all the methods that you employ to convey your values and principles.
When it comes to branding, actions speak louder than words. It is not enough for your company’s mission statement to boast about world-class quality service if you fail to provide excellent customer service, as this creates a discrepancy.
To achieve strong branding, it is necessary to have a well-planned strategy that comprises concise brand directives and unanimity amongst the organization regarding the intended brand image.
Brand Guidelines and The Branding Process
Clear brand guidelines play a crucial role in maintaining a consistent and coherent brand. Your brand encompasses not just how your customers view you, but also how your personnel perceive you. Apart from your emblem and corporate hues, there are other means of communicating your brand message and identity, such as:
- Your store environment and atmosphere: Is your store environment uplifting and modern? Or is your atmosphere, dull and boring?
- Having a clear brand promise: What do you want to be known for by your customers?
- How your staff members treat customers: Are you known for incredible customer service and a great customer experience?
- The products you carry: Are your products known to be high-quality?
- The price you charge: Is your branding geared more towards luxury customers, or are you selling to customers who value a great bargain or deal?
- Product packaging: Often overlooked, strategic product packaging can have a significant impact on your brand recognition, and brand value.
- Public relations: Public relations and branding strategy often go hand in hand. How you respond to the challenges and mistakes made while growing a business impacts your brand.
- Sponsorships: Who your brand partners with also plays a big role in your brand image.
- Advertising: Effective advertising is critical for improving your brand recognition. Your messaging to your target audience should speak directly to their pain points, challenges, and needs.
Every decision you make in your business has the potential to affect the durability of your brand.
Building a brand.
Building a strong brand requires careful consideration and a lot of effort. It is advisable to take notes while going through this section and keep in mind that branding is a cyclical process. As you brainstorm and develop your brand, you may need to revisit some of the steps multiple times.
1. Determine your target audience
We have previously discussed how branding can result in awareness, recognition, trust, and revenue. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that these outcomes arise from consumers – your target audience and customers specifically. According to research, 70% of consumers desire a personalized experience, but providing that experience is impossible without a thorough understanding of your audience’s identity.
Conducting target market research is essential as it ensures that your brand connects with your audience which ultimately results in awareness, recognition, trust, and revenue.
Prior to writing, whether it be with a pen or on a digital platform, it is crucial to comprehend the intended audience for your branding efforts. Consider who your merchandise caters to, identify the perfect consumer, and reflect on the motivation behind establishing your enterprise.
2. Establish your mission statement
As an organization, your purpose and passion are defined by this statement.
In order to establish a brand that is familiar, esteemed, and relied upon by your target audience, it is crucial to first demonstrate what your business can offer. This will then enable all aspects of your brand (such as the logo, tagline, imagery, voice, and personality) to embody the same mission and vision.
Your brand manifesto is constructed based on your mission statement, which outlines the purpose of your organization and the reasons why your brand matters to people.
3. Define your unique values, qualities, and benefits
In your industry and niche, there are likely to be many businesses. While competitive analysis has its time and place, it is simple to concentrate on your competition. Instead, let’s concentrate on your business. What is the one thing that sets your business apart and cannot be copied by anyone else (legally, of course)? Your brand.
It is important to ensure that your brand consists of and draws inspiration from distinct elements that belong exclusively to your business, such as your values, advantages, and characteristics that differentiate your company from others. Take some time to note down the things that distinguish your business from others.
4. Create your visual assets
By now, you ought to have a grasp of who your target market is, your company’s mission statement, and the distinct attributes that define your enterprise.
If you can declare with assurance that you have completed these procedures, then it is the perfect moment to progress to the more stimulating moments of branding, which includes the appearance design. This includes your logo, color scheme, typography (fonts), iconography, and various other visual factors.
While you are forming these components, develop a collection of directives for your brand (or a manual for brand style) that oversees the creation and utilization of your graphic resources. This will guarantee that anyone who employs your newly designed brand adheres to the correct and uniform standards.
Design can evoke both excitement and intimidation. It may be beneficial to engage a professional with expertise in logo and identity design or begin with some useful design templates.
Building a strong brand requires significant effort and considerations. It is advisable to take notes while going through this section and recognize that branding is a process that may require repetition of some steps during the brainstorming and development phases.
5. Find your brand voice
Your method of engaging with your target market falls under your branding strategy. It is important to establish a consistent brand tone that engages and relates to your audience; otherwise, they may ignore your message. In order to achieve this, it is acceptable to revisit step one and reacquaint yourself with your intended audience.
Consistency in your tone is essential across all platforms including advertising campaigns, Instagram captions, blog posts, and brand storytelling.
Allow your audience the opportunity to become acquainted with your brand and become acquainted with the tone of your messaging. Alternatively, cultivate an amusing and engaging voice, and your clients will eagerly anticipate receiving your social media and email communications.
MailChimp’s brand voice is evident across its web copy and social media posts, characterized by a relatable, enjoyable and easy-to-understand style. Even complex software features such as A/B testing are well articulated.
6. Put your branding to work
For your brand to be effective, you must put in the effort. After designing and developing your new brand (or rebranding), ensure that it is seamlessly integrated across all aspects of your business. Be diligent in displaying it in all customer-facing areas. To help you with this, we have provided a few suggestions for implementing your brand throughout your entire company.
Brand Your Business by Channel
1. Website
According to a survey, half of all customers believe that a business’s brand is heavily impacted by its website design. Therefore, ensure that you incorporate your logo, color scheme, and typography throughout your website, using only the assets specified in your brand guidelines.
If your website does not accurately represent your brand, it can lead to a negative customer experience. Make sure that every element on your website, including web copy, calls-to-action, and product descriptions, align with your brand voice.
2. Social Media
According to a 2022 study, social marketers prioritize elevating brand recognition as their primary objective. To achieve this, it is recommended to feature branded elements such as profile pictures, cover art, and imagery consistent with your brand identity. A potential option is using the logo as the profile picture to facilitate customers’ identification of your business. Similar to your website, all profile information, posts, and captions should convey your brand’s characteristic tone of voice.
3. Packaging
When you run a business that involves physical goods, your product is likely the primary means by which customers engage with your brand on a tangible level. Consequently, your packaging should showcase your latest branding by way of its overall appearance, color scheme, dimensions, and texture.
4. Advertising
To create familiarity with your brand and expose it to potential consumers, advertisements in digital and print formats are frequently utilized. Based on findings from HubSpot, 33% of marketers employ paid advertising for the purpose of boosting brand recognition.
It is essential that your branding is showcased in ads to simplify the process of creating them. Your brand style guide provides guidelines on ad appearance and the kind of copy to use.
5. Sales and Customer Service
The effectiveness of a brand is solely dependent on the individuals supporting it. If those who represent the brand fail to utilize it, there will be no significant impact. Additionally, a brand encompasses more than just marketing efforts.
Make sure to instruct your sales and customer service staff about your brand standards and urge them to implement them consistently, particularly when interacting with customers. Whether they are presenting a branded product demonstration or addressing customer inquiries, emphasize the importance of utilizing your logo, tagline, images, and brand tone.
Brand Management and Branding Tips For Growing Your Brand
If your business does not yet have a consistent brand, or you don’t like what your brand currently stands for, you may benefit from a “rebrand.” Before you throw out all the hard work you’ve put into your current brand, it’s important to keep your target audience and loyal customers in mind.
If possible, refrain from rebuilding your brand unless it is necessary. While a fresh brand can have a significant impact on your business, it is essential to prevent existing customers from feeling disconnected.
To improve public perception, follow these steps:
- Identify what your customers and target audience love most about your business. What makes yours stand out? What are your strengths?
- Create a brand message and brand promise that conveys what your business aims to do for its customers – what you’re best at. Geico promises to save you 15% in 15 minutes. That’s its brand promise. Marriott promises quiet luxury. What are you promising your customers? Here it can be helpful to list out a 3-6 brand attributes you want to absolutely excel at.
- Make sure your visual elements match your desired visual identity and your brand. If you’re promising innovation, don’t use greys and boring images. Colors and design play a critical role in developing a strong brand image.
- Develop standards for employee dress and behavior that support your brand promise. Make sure they understand what your brand is and can support it.
- Apply your visuals across every marketing tool you use, from advertising to signage to store displays to mailings to shopping bags. This helps both existing customers and new customers a consistent brand message.
The process of branding is multifaceted as it hinges on how your customers respond to your business dealings, rendering success or failure. Despite the possibility of errors, the expenses of neglecting your branding endeavors far exceed the detrimental outcome of being viewed as a disreputable brand.
