Branding is a cornerstone of all successful businesses, whether in the form of a striking logo or eye-catching website design. Polishing your outward appearance to customers and competitors is only one side of the story, as your company expands you will find there is far more to building your brand that you might think.
Data provided by Stackla cements the importance of an authentic brand identity, with an overwhelming 86% of consumers saying that authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support. Therefore, it is imperative that businesses nail down what makes their services, products or brand story unique from the crowd and capitalise on them by using a variety of methods.
The basics of branding
The face of your company, at its outward appearance to the global market, is comprised of your logo, name, design and even your slogan. Presenting yourself as a professional, polished organisation with expertise in your chosen field starts first and foremost with your visual aspects.
Invest time and resources into devising a logo that reflects the values, services and ambitions of your business. Your logo is the stamp you leave in the minds of your potential clients, your loyal customer base and competing companies. It enables you to leave a recognisable mark immediately, the best known brands such as Starbucks and Apple rarely need to leave the name alongside their logos.
Successful branding also encompasses aspects including your name and website design, which add a distinctive aspect to your advertising materials. Incorporating all the elements that make up a strong brand identity is crucial to establishing trust with consumers and respect amongst fellow businesses. Formulating a cohesive brand strategy will pay dividends when the time comes to ensure that all areas of your business are chiming with your identity and values.
Keep it authentic
The method of ensuring that your written communications, user experience, product descriptions and brand voice all synchronise with each other can prove tricky. It’s why so few consumers think that brands are creating dynamic, engaging content that resonates with them. Less than half believe that companies are presenting themselves as authentic, so it’s doubly important to produce organic, absorbing content for your customers and clients.
Setting aside time to research and understand the latest developments in marketing and advertising, discussing with your colleagues the best way to implement these and how to create content that is relevant to your brand’s aims. The more your company grows, the faster you’ll realise that there is so much more to establishing a strong, authentic brand than just a good name and logo.
Consistency is key
This is where consistency comes into it. The big thing that a lot of brands overlook is the need to keep everything consistent, from the email marketing to the customer service. If your brand message guarantees client satisfaction, its doubly important to reflect this in your internal and external communications.
Creating an eye-catching logo, designing a user-friendly website and posting engaging content on your social channels all contributes to a professional brand identity.