If you had to choose between a stronger brand like Coca-Cola and a drink that is very much the same but made by a different company, which would you choose? You’d probably choose the original Coca-Cola, right? You may think that that is the obvious decision, but why? It’s because of their branding.
When we say branding, we aren’t just talking about the pretty logo that a business may have. Often, people get confused about what a brand is and mistake a brand to be just the logo that a company has.
What is a brand?
A brand is an overall perception that customers have of your business. Your business’s brand is a culmination of your logo, designs, name, customer service, advertising, employees, decisions, and much more. Your business’s brand is everything that you stand for and how you want your customers to see you.
Why would you build a stronger brand?
A brand is one of a business’s most valuable assets. A brand enables you to compete with all other businesses and come out on top. If your company has a poor brand, you will get fewer customers, and depending on how poor your brand is, you may even develop a bad reputation. This would be catastrophic for your business. On the other hand, if you build up your brand and develop a great relationship with your customers, your business could flourish. With a good brand, you’d be able to compete with huge companies that may seem untouchable. You could gain equal or superior standing to the likes of Google or Facebook. The possibilities are endless.
How do you build a stronger brand?
Brand building is to create awareness for your business using strategies and campaigns to create a unique and lasting image in the marketplace. This can be broken down into 3 phases:
- Brand Strategy
- Brand Identity
- Brand Marketing
Brand Strategy
This is a very important aspect of building a brand and the first step that you will take in your brand-strengthening journey. After all, failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
Your brand strategy should include what is going to make you stand out and what makes you trustworthy, reliable, memorable, and adored by your target audience.
An effective strategy should include:
- Development of a brand’s purpose
- Audience development
- Competitor research
- Brand voice and personality
- story and brand message
A brand strategy is critical to the success of your business’s brand. A mistake that many businesses make is skipping this step. Going straight into design and marketing may be appealing. However, having a good plan is paramount for success.
A good start to your brand strategy is to find the purpose of your brand. Wanting to build a brand simply isn’t enough. A brand without a purpose isn’t the kind of brand that you want. Why is it that your brand exists? What makes your brand stand out above the rest? Why should anyone care about your brand?
These are very important questions that you should consider before building your brand. Once your brand’s purpose is clear, you can then focus on who you want your brand to appeal to. Find your target audience.
There is no point in trying to appeal to everyone; trying to please everyone is impossible. Focus your efforts on a specific niche. For example, instead of appealing to all college students, appeal to college students who want to get fit but can’t afford to go to the gym. Instead of everyone who loves music, focus on those who love fast-paced music to run to. Narrowing down your audience not only makes it easier to appeal to them, but also gives you an advantage against competitors who may have a broader audience. Or it may reduce your competition entirely.
On the topic of competition, researching your competitors is a great idea. If your competition is quite successful, find out what makes them successful. If your competition is struggling, find out what is making them struggle. Your research can also help you discover how you can make your brand stand out above all the rest.
Brand Identity
Your identity is how you present yourself to the public. A stronger brand means a stronger identity. This usually includes what visuals you use, the messages that you present to people, and the experience that you provide for your audience. How you do this should be discussed heavily in your brand strategy to get the greatest impact from your efforts.
Your identity includes:
- Logo
- Website design
- Advertising
- Packaging
- Colours
- And much more.
When presenting your identity to the public, you must let your personality shine. This will allow your brand to be unique. Most people aren’t looking for another company that is exactly like all the others, so your stronger branding must shine through. Letting your personality show in your brand won’t just attract customers, but make your time spent building your brand much more enjoyable. What you say and what you do will also come across as being much more genuine, as you’ll be more likely to truly enjoy what you’re doing.
Brand Marketing
This step is how businesses and organisations bring attention to their products and services through various means of communication.
A few ways to do this are:
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Social media
- Pay Per Click Advertisements (PPC)
These methods can be used together and, if done effectively, can greatly boost brand awareness and growth.
Building a brand is an important step for any business. Whether you’re brand new or are a company that has been in the game for a while, your brand is one of the most important tools that you can have in your arsenal. And remember: build a brand, not just a business.
