By Anica Oaks
In a competitive marketplace, successful entrepreneurs understand how branding distinguishes themselves from their competition. A brand is a company’s identity, and the promise it makes to customers. A brand tells customers what they can expect from companies. Therefore, if you are a new entrepreneur, you need to employ proven branding tips for your startup that successful entrepreneurs continue to use today. Here are four of the best startup branding tips.
Brand Strategy
Strong brand equity is your ability to charge more for your products or services than companies in your market offering the same products or services. You accomplish this by clearly communicating your brand’s message to the customer. Many customers base their purchasing decisions on emotional attachments or perceived quality. Those attachments developed because of the company’s brand strategy and brand equity. In short, identify your brand’s message and what you want customers to perceive about your company.
Brand Definition
You must properly define your brand in order to deliver your brand’s message. Questions such as the mission of your company or qualities you want to associate with your company must be answered in order to define your brand. Finding your true brand definition is a journey of self-discovery that tells you exactly what your customers are thinking.
The Brand as a Whole
Your brand’s message must extend to every aspect of your business. Once you know your brand strategy and brand definition, you can apply the message to your company as a whole. Achieving this involves everything from the way you answer phones to your email’s logo and signature. Applying the message to your entire company includes your company’s voice, which is any written or electronic communications that represent your company and its brand. Employees must represent the brand in all of their company-related activities.
Storytelling and Business
In this world of constant communication, great storytellers are succeeding in a big way as entrepreneurs. With blogs and website content both playing dominant roles in a company’s marketing strategy, the ones that can tell great stories on their blogs and websites separate themselves from the competition. These stories are not a history of the company and what goods or services they offer, but a multitude of diverse stories related to the company and its market.
Above all else, consistency is the most important branding tip. Always stay true to your brand and develop a consistent voice or theme for your company. Improve your own marketing skills before attempting to improve your company’s image. Stay consistent with your marketing strategy, show your customers that this consistency in marketing means consistency of service, and you’ll be on your way towards developing a trustworthy brand.
