You’ve set up your business, written your marketing plan, started to implement it and written a press release, but still nobody seems to know or care who you are. So what are you doing wrong?
The process of building your brand requires planning and consistency and takes time. It used to come with a hefty price tag to boot and although this can still be the case, depending on the size and spread of the market you are trying to reach, there are many more affordable ways to broach the task.
So what is a brand
Your brand is the way you make people feel about your company. It’s more than the logo or look of your website. It’s the image you project to the public. You establish and reinforce your brand whenever you communicate with the world whether it be through email, text, advertising or customer service. The look and feel of your shop, website, or wherever you sell your product or service all communicate your brand.
Its all in the detail.
You need to be sure to have set your brand up correctly. You need to have defined your target market beforehand and chosen your logo colours and design to match. Take a look at my post on market research for startups. Think about what makes you special. If your product or service is offered by others why should your target market buy from you?
Your unique identity
Your brand should communicate your unique identity. Make sure your advertising and marketing efforts reflect this identity, and that you always deliver on the promises you make to your customers.
Building your brand
Brand building is an important part of any business, and it’s especially important for startups. A brand gives context to your product or service, and helps you stand out from the competition. There are a few steps you can take to build a strong brand:
Step 1
Create a clear mission statement. Your brand should have a clear purpose, and your mission statement should reflect this. For example, Plusnet’s mission is “To be the industry leading referral based ISP, via excellence in delivery of customer support….”
Step 2
Build a strong identity. This is not just about choosing the right name for your business. Consider how you want people to view your brand and how you will translate this through your advertising, the way in which you communicate with your customers, the quality of your product or service, etc.
You will want to use your unique identity to set your brand apart from the competition. You can use your branding strategy to create customer loyalty and increase sales.
Step 3
Promote your brand through marketing campaigns. Your company name, motto or strapline, visuals including colours and graphics all make a difference here. Social media is crucial to your brand identity and building a platform for whatever you have to say. That will matter, not just for brand awareness but when you have a new product or service to launch.
Step 4
Make sure your branding is consistent across all channels (web, print, etc.). You need to be sure your branding looks good in all mediums.
And finally…
If something goes wrong, fix it. Building your brand can be costly. At the very least, if its done properly, it may take a lot of effort. But building your brand is important, whatever size of business you are. If a customer has a problem, resolve it. If there is an issue with your product, recall it and if your service falls below standard, compensate. It’s a lot easier to destroy your brand than build it and any damage may be costly to correct.