Branding Your Business - Freelance WorkTips
As more and more
companies enter the marketplace, many of them small businesses, it’s more
important than ever to rise above the competition and establish your
reputation. To do this the businesses need to start establishing their brand. The
value of your brand sets the benchmark for your marketing potential.If there are 100 other web designers, or 20 other caterers working in your area, how will you make sure that clients choose you over your competitors? The only way is to create a brand which will allow your target audience to actually look your way and see what you have to offer.
First of all let’s get
the definition of brand and branding down. A Brand is a collection of
words, images, and ideas which represent and identify a business.
Branding is the process of
integrating a company’s brand into everything they do.
Branding is a complete
packaging of your business going in the website, emails, promotional videos,
letterheads, business cards, etc., but keep in mind that branding is not just
your logo, your website or, your business name it’s what your customers
perceive about you. With the right branding you can invoke trust, build loyalty
and connect with your customers emotionally.
Branding preferably
should be done in the early stages as it allows you to jump start on some
marketing activities therefore, branding your business should not be taken
lightly.
If you own a startupbusiness and planning to make it big in the industry, here are some tried-and-tested
tips that will help you establish your brand.
Brand Strategy
Branding is one of the most important aspects of
your business, large or small. An effective brand strategy gives you a major
edge in increasingly competitive markets.
Your brand is your promise to your customer. It
tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it
differentiates your offering from your competitors. Your brand strategy is how, what, where, when
and to whom you plan on communicating and delivering on your brand messages.
Where you advertise is part of your brand strategy. Your distribution channels
are also part of your brand strategy. And what you communicate visually and
verbally are part of your brand strategy, too.
Defining Your
Once you've created your brand strategy, the next step is how to
define your brand. Here are a few simple tips:
Know your audience:
Your audience is one of
the most important factors to consider when putting up a business simply
because they are the ones who will buy your product.
Therefore, it is
important that you familiarize yourself with your target market, so that you
can tailor your products and services according to what they need and want.
Identify your competition:
As the saying goes, keep
your friends close and your enemies closer. What it implies in your situation
is that you have to identify who your competition are in the market, and then
look at their strengths and weaknesses. Look out for areas where you can
develop something better or eliminate or minimize your flaws.
Get a great logo:
Your logo is the face of your brand, so get a logo which incorporates
your brand message so that your target market will like and never forget it. Place
it everywhere.
Create a website:
Whether you are an
online business or a brick-and-mortar shop, create a website for your business.
Your website will help not only to showcase your products but also help you to interact
with your customers easily. In your website, you can have an about page, your product
or services page, a testimonial page, a contact information page, and even an
order form page for convenient transactions. Just make sure it resonates your brand
message.
Blog regularly:
As an entrepreneur, part
of your job is to keep your customers updated not just about your products/services
but also of the industry you represent, you can accomplish these by regularly
publishing blog posts on your website.
Write about your new
products/services or communicate to your customers the latest industry-related
event and happenings through a short feature article. If your products require
assembly or specific instructions, you can also make tutorials in video format
to assist your customers. The idea here is to provide content that your
customers will find highly useful and relatable.
Engage in social media:
To connect with your
customers better and learn what they think, establish an active online presence
by creating accounts on popular social networking sites like Facebook and
Twitter. Build your online community, and engage them in virtual conversations.
Your customers are the
best judge of your products so ask them for feedback, When they do, don’t
forget to thank them for their time and if possible give them some
incentives/freebies.
This way, you’ll get to
know your customers more and improve your products/services based on their
opinion.
Integrate your brand:
Branding extends to
every aspect of your business – be it your website, emails, promotional videos,
letterheads, business cards, Social Content,Blog,etc
Your brand should be
applied in all written communication and incorporated in the visual imagery of
all materials, online and offline. Use the same color scheme, logo placement, look
and feel throughout. Be consistent and create brand standards for your
marketing materials.
Be consistent:
Customers won't return
to you,or refer you to someone else if you don't deliver on your brand
promise. So the most important tip above all is consistency. If you can't do
this, your attempts at establishing a brand will fail.
Check out the interesting infographic by webs.com below to learn what
elements you need to help your brand stand the test of time.
As always you are welcome to post your questions and comments below.
Have a great and prosperours life.
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