So, you have a great concept, a thriving business, or you’re an established brand that wants to refresh your messaging and reconnect with your audience? Whatever your motivation, getting your branding right can benefit your business. We all evolve and adapt throughout time, so why shouldn’t brands? If you did not get your brand right the first time, there is always the option of rebranding.
Branding helps businesses establish themselves, but rebranding allows them to remain modern and reminds customers that, yes, they are still in business, whether it be selling new items or simply changing a logo.
However, both branding and rebranding should be carefully handled. It not only takes time and money, but it also jeopardizes your company’s reputation if you miss the point. This article will go through five important elements for good branding to help you send your company’s message to the world.
1. Determine the purpose of what you do
Why do you do the things you do when it comes to your business? What determines your moves, choices, and decisions? The answer to these questions will establish the values, purpose, and mission of your brand. A successful purpose-driven brand will also forge a deep link with your target audience.
There is a concept called The Golden Circle, which begins with why in the middle, then how, and ultimately what at the circle’s periphery. This principle pushes us to think from the inside out, starting with why, then how, and finally, what.
You may replicate this practice by creating your own Golden Circle, brainstorming, and asking yourself these three important questions. Begin with why you’re doing what you’re doing, then go on to how and what.
Whether it’s employing only organic products or resolving a little but important problem for customers, having a purpose or belief will surely captivate your audience and link them with your company. After all, branding is only successful when every aspect of your organization demonstrates the company’s values.
2. Find your brand vision statement
Once you’ve determined your “why,” it’s time to create a vision statement for your brand, outlining what you wish to accomplish with your branding strategy. So, take a pen and paper and start jotting responses to the following questions:
- Where do you want your company to be in the next five to 10 years?
- What type of statement does your why give?
- What is the clearest and most straightforward focus of your business?
When working on your statement, keep in mind the following guidelines:
- Write it in the present tense, as this is your message NOW.
- Make your point as precise and succinct as possible.
- Make sure the sentence is simple to understand. Check with your friends and family to ensure that your vision is clear.
Below are two examples of brand statements from two very important brands:
- Dove
Dove believes beauty should be a source of confidence, not anxiety. Their brand statement focuses on the company’s desire to help women develop positive relationships with their bodies, grow their self-esteem, and understand the potential within them.
- Coca Cola
Coca Cola’s vision is to craft drinks that people appreciate and find refreshing for their bodies and spirit. It also wishes to achieve this in an increasingly more sustainable way, making a difference in the life of their consumers, as well as for the planet.
3. Identify your unique selling point
If you want to make a statement, you need to find out what your strongest assets are. The experts at DPDK Digital Agency, a popular digital marketing agency with offices in three global cities, recommend researching your competitors, learning from them, and ultimately figuring out what makes your company unique. After all, your unique selling point (USP) stems from differentiating yourself from your competition.
For example, Crayola, the popular art supplies company, has a strong mission and objective: to liberate children’s brains from the “What If?” questions. This way, the brand encourages kids to unleash their creativity using nothing but colouring pens and imagination.
Here’s a simple checklist to help you figure out your USP:
- Make a list of all the characteristics and benefits that distinguish your product or service.
- Google your competition and compare your features and benefits to get a better idea of what sets you apart.
- Consider an emotional need that your product or service will meet.
- Examine the product and company from your customers’ perspective and make a list of anything that comes to mind.
- Determine which features of your product or service your competitors cannot duplicate.
- Highlight any information that cannot be simply replicated, reproduced, or copied.
- Consider terms that describe your one-of-a-kind product or service; make them simple and succinct.
4. Give your brand the right personality
Creating the right personality for your brand can assist potential clients in deciding whether you are a suitable choice for them. The tone of speech and vocabulary you use and the type of font and colours you choose should be consistent with the brand’s personality. All of this will represent your brand values and, eventually, the values of your prospective consumers.
The establishment of a brand is dependent on a thorough grasp of the customer persona. It aids in the visualization of your target clients and their demographics, such as age, gender, geography, and income.
Also, consider your product or company in terms of who it would be if it were a person. It might be beneficial to consider well-known people and their personality traits. The buyer persona and brand personality should therefore have significant overlaps.
5. Use the right voice and language
This refers to your tone of voice. Your communications must speak directly to your target audience and connect with them.
If you were marketing footwear to a young audience, you would use a different vocabulary than if you were selling organic linen to boutique hotels, right? It may seem obvious, but speaking to your consumers in the appropriate tone of voice is critical; otherwise, your brand’s voice would go ignored in a crowded market.
Bottom line
Remember to dive deep into the why of what you’re doing, investigate your competition, and get an advantage over them. Never underestimate the importance of properly knowing and engaging with your audience.
Now you should be well on your way to developing effective branding for your product or service, but refer to and reread these main concepts for successful branding whenever you need a reminder!