Whether you’re starting your business or looking for a new direction, branding your company should be at the forefront of your mind. The look, feel, and voice you want to portray should emulate the core values of your business and the future you would like to have with it. We recently had a chance to speak with entrepreneur and branding expert Daniel Ocock on our most recent Entrepods episode. Daniel gave us pointers on how to authentically create your image.
How to Start Branding Your Business
As you begin to brand your business, there are five simple tips for branding your business that you can take to get started on the process. Learning how to identify your mission and who you want your company to be is one of the most important parts of a successful branding mission.
“Think of your brand as a person…make it a reflection of what you’re trying to do.” - Daniel Ocock
Research your target audience: Know who you want to market your product to and why. Understanding the “who” behind the drive for your business allows you to create a focal point that will begin to connect the dots. Think of it as an onion, the center layer is your audience and each layer after is your logo, colors, slogan, etc.
Personality: It may seem strange to choose a personality for a business but it can help you become successful in choosing the direction you want to take. Following Daniel's words, think of your brand as a person. How do they act? What do they look like? Start to create something that is identifiable.
Business name and slogan: This will become one of the most recognizable parts of your business. Name recognition associated with a strong brand can go a long way in terms of marketability reaching a wider audience. When thinking of a slogan, what is your company summed up in three to four words? Is it “have it your way,” such as Burger King or is it Nike’s famous “just do it”?
Look at your brand: It may not seem like it but the colors and fonts you choose for your company speak volumes to your customers. For example, the color yellow implies optimism, clarity, and warmth. While red portrays excitement and boldness. Will you choose a serif font or a sans serif font? These will be the early elements of a successful brand.
Brand logo: Along with your slogan, your brand logo will be the face of your company. We are able to identify successful companies by just their logo. H&M, McDonald's, H&R Block, these all have one thing in common: a strong logo associated with their name.
Why You Should Brand Your Business
“Branding is like your reputation so it’s how someone would talk about you if you weren’t in the room” - Daniel Ocock
Your brand identity should be one of the most identifiable parts of your brand. It’s what people will recognize first and remember when they need your services. By branding your business on social media, your website, or other outlets you’re able to get your name across multiple platforms and reinforce your brand.
You may think to yourself, “why is good branding so important?” The answer is simple, you want customers to flock to your business and they want a trustworthy brand they know will provide quality services or products. By creating an experience for your customers from start to finish, you’ll become more than just another company, you’ll enhance their user experience.
In the world of social media and technology, it’s becoming increasingly important to have a strong online presence. When you have consistency across the board and your company looks well established, you’ll be able to build connections and trust with your customers.