Introduction
Most businesses offer comparable products. Similar services. Comparable prices.
So why do people opt for one of these products over others
The answer, almost always, lies in business branding.
Business branding helps you stand out from the competition and create that memorable experience for potential clients. Not only does it consist of a company logo and colors but of the entire interaction people have with your business – be it on the internet or in person.
If you are looking to create an amazing brand that will stand out from the competition, here is a quick overview of how to do it.
What Is Business Branding?
Business branding refers to the perception of your company in the eyes of the public.
This involves visual and verbal aspects of branding – logo, design, messages, values, tone and more importantly the emotions people associate with your brand.
Remember that while your product or service is something you sell, your brand is something people pay for.
Why Should Businesses Engage in Branding?
Now, before we move on to the “how” of things, let us first look into the “why.”
Repeat clients will come back to those that they already know and trust; thus, a successful brand makes people familiar with you.
Branding provides the rationale for your prices. Good brands tend to charge premium prices since their clients perceive their value as such.
Good branding attracts the best customers because the message of your brand will speak to those who want to hear it and turn them away from those who do not.
Your employees get attached to good brands since they become a part of your brand identity.
Step 1: Create the Base of Your Brand
To develop your brand identity, one must first answer three key questions:
Who are you?
This is what defines your company mission and purpose. Why do you run your business beyond the goal of generating profits?
Who do you serve?
Know your target audience inside out. Specify such aspects as age group, interests, needs, problems, goals, etc.
What makes you different?
This point represents the unique value proposition of your brand. What makes your company special?
Step 2: Establish Your Brand’s Visual Identity
Here is where most think the branding begins, with the look of it.https://warsanpost.com/
Your brand’s visual identity comprises of:
Logo – Your brand logo is the face of your business. Make sure that it’s simple, scalable, and memorable. It must be able to work even in black and white and in different sizes and across different platforms.
Brand Colors – There are meanings for colors and each one of them carries certain emotions. Blue is associated with trust, green is associated with growth or health, while red is associated with energy. Choose 2–3 colors for your brand and stick to them.
Typography – The fonts used by your brand should reflect its personality. For example, a legal firm and kids’ toys will never have similar fonts.
Imagery Style – The photos and graphics that you use should have a certain theme. Choose your imagery style and be consistent with it.
Step 3: Establish Your Brand Voice
Your brand voice is the tone in which your brand communicates.
Do you communicate in a professional and commanding manner? Are you communicating in a casual and friendly way? Do you communicate boldly and aggressively? Or do you have a warm and empathic voice?
Your voice should suit both your target market and your brand personality. If your brand personality does not fit with your brand voice, then something is wrong. You don’t expect your financial advice brand to talk in a slang language.
Identify 3–4 adjectives to define your brand voice. Some examples include clear, direct, confident and human.
Finally, ensure that you maintain a consistent voice in all your communications: Blog, email, social media and all other types of communication with your customers.
Step 4: Design for a Consistent Brand Experience
A brand is more than a logo; it is an experience.
All interactions that your customer has with your company will determine his/her perception towards you. This includes:
Design of your website and speed
Voice in your emails
Voice in phone call/chat interactions
Your product or service packaging and delivery process
Customer complaint handling process
Step 5: Tell Stories
People do not relate to businesses; they relate to stories.
Tell the story of how you were founded. Talk about your failures and successes. Show the human faces behind the brand.
Telling a story establishes an emotional connection – which in turn establishes loyalty. The client who is emotionally connected to your brand is more than a client. He/she becomes an advocate.
Use your blog, social media channels and e-newsletter to communicate your brand’s story.
Step 6: Be Consistent All the Way Through
That is where most brands screw up.
They create something good, but gradually start to slip – by changing their voice, redrawing the logo every year and making off-brand content.
Inconsistency will make people lose trust in you.
The world’s greatest brands are boring in the best possible way. They appear exactly the same all the time and for many years to come.
Establish your brand guidelines. Put down the colors, fonts, voice and language style you are using. Share it with your team. Protect it.
Common Business Branding Blunders to Watch Out For
Trying to speak to everyone. If you try to speak to everyone, you’ll speak to no one. Find your target audience and go after that.
Imitating other brands. Being like your competitor will make you invisible. Look at your competitor but do so to differentiate yourself.
Inconsistent across different channels. Instagram, your website, your packaging — everything needs to be cohesive with the same brand message.
Neglecting the emotional aspect. Facts speak but feelings sell. Just presenting features is not enough — you need to provide a sense of experience.
Over-frequent rebranding. Trying to change your business brand every year makes it hard for people to recognize it. Let it develop and only then change.
Conclusion
Branding of a business is not a one-off effort. It’s an ongoing process.
Successful brands do not necessarily have to be the most expensive ones. You need to present yourself clearly and consistently — and give people a reason to care.
It starts with finding the foundation — establishing the brand identity and its voice — and building the experience.
If you do it correctly, your business brand will stick.