Branding a new business is a process that must be carefully planned out in order to be effective. Entrepreneurs just starting their journey into the business realm should keep in mind that branding is about more than just social media content and paid advertisements – it’s a strategy merging those methods and more to create an eye-catching, memorable identity. Fortunately, there are several tasks you can complete that will help boost your brand and reach the right customers at the right time. Think about which projects are best for your needs, especially where your budget is concerned. Here are a few tips on how to get started…
Establish Your Goals
Before you can come up with a branding plan, you’ll need to figure out what your goals are for the coming year. For most new entrepreneurs, marketing is a major undertaking that requires a lot of research. If you’ve already read up on your competitors and know which direction you want to go, great! If not, discover everything you can about your customers and consider how best you can reach your target audience. For instance, if your business is all about eco-friendly products, you’ll want your identity to reflect that, from your logo to your mission statement and policies. The right branding can convince consumers they’ve found a company that understands their needs – and that, in turn, will make them loyal customers who will keep coming back to you.
Determine What You Can Do
When you’re ready to start thinking about the details of your brand – including creating a logo, slogan, and/or a merchandising plan – it’s important to think about which projects you can tackle yourself and which ones you might need to partner with professionals to complete. For instance, some logo maker tools are free, which will save you money while allowing you to have total creative control over the end product. Simply use one of the templates provided and choose the right icons, colors, and fonts to create a memorable design. Building a website that’s accessible and easy to navigate, on the other hand, might require a professional’s touch.
Set Some Guidelines
When creating a brand, it’s often advisable to stay consistent, especially when it comes to digital marketing and social media. Once you have a great logo, slogan, and other identifiable aspects for your business, keep them the same throughout your marketing strategy. Fonts, colors, and images should be kept uniform just as your brand statement should. It might help to create a style guide for your business that includes all of these components so you can build on them without straying from your original vision. This will help eliminate confusion, which could throw your customers off and drive them to your competitors.
Use Your Brand to Build Trust
Just as it’s important to remain consistent so your customers will come to know what to expect, it’s also crucial to ensure that your brand inspires trust. This will take some time and will require your business to provide open communication, transparency, and easy transactions. It also means you’ll need to be careful about who you partner with, as well as the kind of content you share on social media. Many businesses invest in a social media manager to oversee their posts, answer questions, and respond to comments to ensure that no issues go unresolved or unaddressed.
Devising a branding strategy can take some time, so give yourself some leeway as you get started to avoid frustration or stress. Don’t forget to do some research on your competition and the companies behind the resources you’re using to ensure a smooth process.
Final Thoughts
When you’re ready to start planning your branding strategy, it’s time to consult professionals like the branding experts at HighClick Media to help you create a strong brand identity. Reach out to us today at 252.814.2150 or send us a message. We’d love to help you #ElevateYourBrand!
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Guest blogger Alyssa Strickland created millennial-parents.com for all the new parents on the block. Alyssa believes the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child, but she also thinks it takes a village to raise a parent! Millennial-Parents is that village. Today’s parents can be more connected than ever and she hopes her site will enrich those connections. On Millennial-Parents, she shares tips and advice she learns through experience and from other young parents in three key areas – Education, Relationships, and Community.