There are a lot of elements that make a new business. The idea, the product, the employees, the model, and organization are all vital elements. But the brand is an element that has to support all of it. It’s the spirit, the heart, the driving message of the business. It gives the team direction and communicates that direction to the market. But when you just start a business, it’s easy to have neglected to think that far ahead. So, how do you give a brand-new business the brand-new brand it needs to compete with your more established competition?
Story
If the brand is the core of the business, the story is the core of the brand. There are a lot of places to draw inspiration for your brand story. It should boil down from the services you develop, and how those services change the lives of customers. But it’s also your way of brand positioning. What’s different about you from the competitors? What aspect of the service, of creativity, or high-quality do you focus on that others don’t? Another part of the brand story becoming more and more important is the values that underpin the business, too. Fairtrade, links to certain causes, ethical treatment of employees and the environment are all examples of ideas that can inform a brand.
Professionalism
How do you tell that story? In just about every way you interface and interact with the customers. Your advertisements and marketing will deliver the story in its most distilled form, but they’re not the only ways you should be thinking about it. Without professional web design, a poorly optimised website gives a message of unprofessionalism that can undermine a carefully crafted story. So, too, can using the wrong person in customer-facing jobs. You have to be careful about how you represent the business, from the people you choose to do so and the presence you create for yourself online, in business premises, in trade shows and just about everywhere else.
Aim
A message that has no relevance to your target might create a good look for the business, but it’s not going to win your leads, drive traffic, or increase your conversions. When promoting your brand, you have to do it with the customer of the focus. Research the target market, figure out the demographics that will make the greatest portion of them. Think about the average challenges they face, the lifestyle they live, and how your product helps. More specifically, think about what platforms they might use for you to be able to reach them. For instance, if your customers are primarily professionals, then LinkedIn might be more effective than Facebook.
Proof
A new business has an uphill battle. They haven’t yet proven themselves and that proof can be the deciding factor for great swathes of the market. So, how do you gain it? Don’t be afraid of asking customers for reviews and testimonials if they’re clearly happy with your services, for one. But you can also build trust by showing that your online presence is trustworthy, too. Trust badges, finding PR opportunities, using social media to connect with more established groups can all shine a more legitimate light on your team.
Branding is about creating a message and a story, but it’s also about communicating it effectively. Consider both parts of the strategy when creating the image and the spirit that will define your company in the eyes of the market.
