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Having a powerful brand in place is a prerequisite for building a successful business. The way others perceive your brand says a lot about who you are. Therefore, it makes sense that you’d do everything in your power to make a great first impression.
As a business owner, you’re practically your brand’s CEO. This means you’re the one in charge of what your customers (both existing and potential ones) and industry peers have to say about you. The question is: How do you build a brand identity for your business, and, more importantly, where do you start? Below, five proven ways to build a powerful brand for your business.
Make your brand the center of your story
Nowadays, customers aren’t just looking for a product. They want something that they can connect with and relate to, be it brand’s aesthetic, message, or voice. In other words, modern customers tend to identify with the things they buy and services they opt for.
One way to appeal to the modern customer is to tell your brand’s origin story in such a way that they can find themselves with it. Strive to make your brand the center of your story, talk about how your company came to be, and make sure to include specific details and the most vivid moments you can recall. When customers feel that a brand’s story is relatable, they’re more likely to feel loyal to that brand.
Make sure your message is loud and clear
Telling your audience who you are is a crucial factor for building a powerful brand for your business. This is why you want to make sure your message is loud and clear. What better way to do that than by utilizing branded commercial signage that will pique the interest of passersby?
Instead of using banners and channel letters like they did back in the day, opt for more innovative signage solutions. From print to digital LEDs to 3D fabrications, these days, you can rely on several modern technologies to express yourself. Will it be a carpet, a window, a curtain, or some other surface? We’ll leave that up to you to decide.
Be creative when choosing brand elements
A big part of building a brand is utilizing its creative elements to make your brand seen, felt, and heard. Start by deciding on a name for your company. It needs to be strong and meaningful to draw customers in yet creative enough to stand out from the crowd.
Another important component is your company’s logo. The avatar you choose to represent you as a company will be the visual element others will recognize you by. The same goes for the color palette you choose to use. Different colors evoke different emotions. It’s up to you to choose colors that will deliver the psychological impact you’re aiming for. Other important brand elements to pay attention to include typography, a catchy tagline, and characteristics that describe the brand’s personality. Ideally, the brand elements you select will be memorable, likable, and meaningful, as well as protectable, adaptable, and transferable.
Make sure your brand’s identity evolves with time
While a brand’s personality may not change a lot as time goes by, its identity certainly will. Trends come and go, and in order for a brand to stay relevant and keep up with the times, it has to evolve. From redesigning a website to changing a company’s name, making sure that their brand’s identity is compatible with their goals should be high on every business owners’ list of priorities.
We’ve seen, and continue to see, multiple brands rebranding, including big names such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Weight Watchers, and Uber. This just goes to show that even the most successful ones have to rebrand every once in a while.
Pick a lane and stay in it
While it’s definitely important that your brand grows and evolves, changing too many things can backfire in some cases. The one thing brands need to realize is that they can’t be everything to everyone.
Instead of focusing on too many things at once, stick with products and services you’re good at. Also, focus more on serving customers who’ve remained true and who are at the core of what your brand represents. By picking a lane and staying in it, you’ll remain true to what you stand for while also becoming more referable and memorable.
Wrapping up
Ensuring your business’ growth is a matter of developing a strong brand identity. While this can be a confusing and complicated journey, if you stick with the tips above and focus on the right things, you’ll be able to develop an effective branding strategy that will propel your business in the right direction.
