Branding emotionally connects you with customers. If you want to increase revenue and foster customer loyalty, you must create a strong brand that your customers will love.
Why do customers choose to buy from your company? Although product quality and customer service are important factors, good branding is also important.
A brand helps you stand out from the crowd and persuade customers to choose your company over the competition. Solid branding makes your value clear, telling customers why they should buy from you.
You’ve created an excellent brand, but what do customers think of it? To create an effective brand that works for you, you must first understand your customers. This is not always easy. Follow these guidelines to create a brand that is relevant to today’s consumers.
1. First, identify your target audience
Nothing in marketing or public relations is possible unless you understand the people you serve. You are free to choose a logo and brand colors, but keep in mind that if your branding choices do not relate back to your audience’s expectations, they will not resonate with customers.
Beginning your branding with buyer personas is a good idea. Most businesses work with three to five different personas, so make sure you cover all of your bases.
You can also obtain audience data from your:
• Followers on social media
• Google Analytics is a web analytics service
• Information gleaned from website searches
The goal, regardless of how you obtain your audience data, is to identify customer pain points. Why are they trying to find a solution? What is it that keeps them awake at night?
You must first understand the precise problem before offering a solution, which is why you must first get to know your customers before you begin branding. Otherwise, you risk creating a brand that you believe customers want to see rather than one that is true to what customers expect.
2. Identify Your Brand’s Purpose
Every company requires a brand purpose. That may sound a little fluffy, but just as you can’t go on a road trip without a destination, you can’t create a brand without a purpose.
What is the reason for your company’s existence? There’s a reason why everyone comes to work every day. Conduct extensive research to determine your mission based on customer pain points.
3. Investigate the Competition
Knowing what your competitors are doing is a good idea. This isn’t about imitating others, but about avoiding accidentally imitating competitors by creating a brand that’s too similar.
You want to stand out, so research five to ten competitors and take note of their:
• Logo
• Colors associated with the brand
• Font
• Characteristics
• Statement of purpose
What distinguishes these companies from the competition? What do they excel at? What could they do better? When you know who you’re up against, it’s much easier to stand out from the crowd and persuade customers to choose you instead.
4. Capitalize on Your Differentiators
Customers have many options, so why should they choose your products? To create a brand that resonates, you must embrace your uniqueness. Differentiators are useful not only for increasing sales, but also for informing customers that you are the go-to source for a specific niche.
This is why it’s advantageous to be known for only one thing. It’s not about being unique in terms of your product’s bells and whistles, but about being unique in noticeable, meaningful ways. For example, if you work in the sustainable beauty industry, perhaps your unique selling point is that your products are always cruelty-free and compostable.
5. Take a Stand for Something
If you want people to adore your brand, it’s sometimes necessary to draw a line in the sand. It may be controversial, but consumers prefer brands that support important causes. We learned after 2020 that customers respond positively to companies that give back and support causes, so make your position known.
This does carry the risk of alienating customers who disagree with you. However, standing up for something will strengthen your bond with current customers, who will see you as strong and principled.
It’s Time to Improve Your Brand
Branding emotionally connects you with customers. If you want to foster loyalty (and increase revenue), you must create a strong brand that your customers will appreciate.
You can do it yourself, but if you still don’t feel confident in your brand, hire a professional. Find a team capable of transforming a small brand into a powerhouse through effective branding.
