Essentials of a Good Brand

BRANDING IS MORE THAN A LOGO: THE STEPS TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BRAND

Business owners, especially those just starting out often feel overwhelmed with the day to day. The day usually begins with checking a mountain of emails before diving into the actual work. Unfortunately, you may find, more often than not, that you are pulled in too many directions. As a result, the company’s brand becomes the last thing on the list. That is until the fateful day when you look up and find that it’s is woefully outdated. Understandably, finding the time to focus on how to better your brand remains elusive. On the other side of the spectrum, there are the new kids on the block. Those who are in the beginning stages of getting their business up and running. Figuring out how to create a company’s brand becomes mixed up with the rest of the to do’s. There’s hope though. We’re bringing you a helpful guide with the essentials of building your brand from the bottom up.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR BUSINESS?

It sounds like an easy thing to figure out. The purpose of my company is to sell a,b,c. Is this really the case though? Generally, your customers are coming to you for a particular service or product because of what your company represents and how it makes them feel. This is long before they choose your product as “The One”.

Before working on any of the pretty bits of your brand (logo, business cards, website, etc.), you have to figure out the “why” of your company. Why are you in business? This answer takes a little more time to figure out. As a matter of fact, Simon Sinek gave an eye-opening TED talk about this very topic. We highly recommend watching this to help you figure out your why.

Once you have this answer, it becomes easier to meaningfully communicate your passion–your company’s voice. Whether it’s customers, employees or anyone wanting to know more, they will feel your excitement about the company. You’ll also inspire more trust and confidence in what you have to offer.

TAKE YOURSELF OUT OF THE DAY TO DAY

It’s easy to focus on what you do each and every day. As the saying goes, “No one knows your business better than you do”. However, your customers/clients aren’t in your business. They are only the recipients of the final result. To get them to trust your brand, it helps to take a few steps back to figure out what motivates your customers to act.

A few of the most common ways to get this information include:

– Focus groups- these can be paid or unpaid
– Online questionnaires- Services like Survey Monkey and Google Forms make it fast and easy to get opinions
– Lurk on social media outlets and forums – This is more time consuming, but there is a wealth of information in these areas
– Or…just ask your current customers- Many will be appreciative of the fact that you even want to know what they think about your service or product.

There are a myriad of ways to send out feelers that will ultimately help you in building a strong brand. Even if you only use one of these methods, you’ll quickly find the pieces falling into place as to how to move forward with your brand.

A BRAND IS MORE THAN A LOGO OR BUSINESS CARD

We will bust many a bubble with this news, but a logo and a brand are not the same things. Logos are a part of a brand. However, it is so much more than that. Here is one definition that clearly explains what it is.

“Branding is a set of marketing and communication methods that help to distinguish a company or products from competitors, aiming to create a lasting impression in the minds of customers. The key components that form a brand’s toolbox include a brand’s identity, brand communication (such as by logos and trademarks), brand awareness, brand loyalty, and various branding (brand management) strategies.”

– Bhimrao M. Ghodeswar, Journal of Product and Brand Management.

Basically, a brand, when done right will connect with customers to enable them to make a judgment about a company, product or service. In this case, your brand needs to be relatable and recognizable. Easy, huh?

Here are some additional things that make a brand great (in addition to that snazzy logo):

Consistency- Predictability can be a good thing. Especially when it comes to branding and customer service. Effective branding and reliability will bring customers back again and again when they know what they’re getting. And speaking of…

Reliability- You have to do what you say you’re going to do. Even when companies make mistakes, owning up to them and making things right instills trust in your company. Plus, you’re seen as an honorable brand.

Relatability- Also known as the “warm and fuzzies”. A certain smell, taste, or sound (or any of the other senses) can help take a person back to a moment in life where they had a strong emotional tie. A good brand will help build a positive association with their product or service.

Lots of Luck- We’re not going to lie to you. It takes a lot of time, effort, optimization to build a great brand. The winds have to be just right to guide you to the right place at the right time to make your brand successful. However…

These intangible elements combined with the visual elements (logo, website, etc.) that are shown to the world, will help make your success that much easier to attain.

WORKING WITH A DESIGNER OR MARKETING TEAM TO CREATE YOUR BRAND

Now that you know what elements help to build a brand, it’s time to get to the fun part–working with a creative or marketing team to bring it to life. When it comes to your business, sometimes it’s best to allocate certain tasks to the professionals. A professional designer or marketing strategist can give you guidance and ideas to help your business. They will be able to create a visual representation of your company’s voice that will serve as the face of your company.

SALES MATERIALS, LOGOS, and More

Who do you turn to when you need to create materials that will be shown to your customers? Graphic designers. A good designer can help you reign in those thoughts that you’ve had brewing to make the brand development process easier. They will be able to create a cohesive look and feel for your business that separates you from the competition.

DEVELOPING YOUR BRAND STRATEGY

A marketing specialist can help your business pivot and identify what makes your audience tick. They will often work behind the scenes to come up with the best tactics to reach customers. Whether it’s through social media campaigns, local outreach or guerilla advertising, they will provide a number of suggestions and executions to help your brand become more recognizable. This is especially important for smaller businesses and those who have noticed a downtick in their sales.

CONCLUSION

Most people go into business for the long haul and often put their heart and soul into it. When it comes to building a successful brand, it’s important not to cut corners. By taking the time to find out what makes your company better than the next–or rather figuring out your “why”–you are setting yourself up to create an effective, memorable brand. One that connects with your customers and establishes trust. Remember: your brand is more than a nice logo or business card. It is the essence of your company. It is the thing that speaks to the world.

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