For many entrepreneurs and start-ups, branding is an ambiguous and overwhelming task to consider because there are a lot of moving parts that make up a brand, both tangible and intangible. In many ways, the effectiveness of your branding correlates directly with the success of your business. Here are five effective branding tips for entrepreneurs who want to leave their mark on the world.
Dive Deep into Your Values and Niche
The core of your brand is made up of the values and mission of your business. While your ultimate goal might be to make sales and generate revenue, it’s how you connect with your customers that will make that goal attainable— and that connection comes through branding.
Your values will also tie into the niche that you target as your ideal customer. Sit down and consider who your ideal customer is, from their lifestyle to the problems you will solve for them. Make a connection between what your customers need and what you strive to provide— this will be the framework for your brand.
Create Visuals That Align with Your Brand
Once you know who you’re targeting and how you plan on helping them, you can create a visual representation of your brand. The visual components will include everything from your logo to your color scheme.
Your logo and color scheme should be relevant to your audience. For example, if your ideal customer is a powerful, career-oriented female in her forties to sixties, your branding will look different than if your target audience is a relaxed male in his twenties. Similarly, your branding should tie into the product or service you offer. Using the example above, your branding for providing business coaching services should be different than selling craft beer.
Focus on Consistency with Cross-Channel Tone
The prevalence of social media and digital publications is both a blessing and a curse for the modern entrepreneur. On the positive side, more channels mean more opportunities to connect with an audience. On the negative side, these opportunities can become overwhelming and challenging to manage.
Whether you choose to operate on two online platforms or six, consistency is vital. Ensure that your brand’s tone and visuals are conveyed similarly across all channels. If you’re friendly and casual on social media, be friendly and informal in your email marketing efforts. If your brand is built around authenticity, don’t use predatory sales tactics to generate revenue. Every interaction should tie back to your brand’s values and general tone.
Focus on Consistency with Finer Details
The finer details are the cherry on top of your branding sundae. They’re the finishing piece that ties everything together for a cohesive approach. For example, getting custom labels and packaging to create a brand-oriented user experience during unboxing (see examples at https://www.deepkinglabels.com/) or adding a branded pledge card in each shipment, like GRRRL Clothing are all great ideas. The finer details are how you can take your brand one step further to make an impact on your customers and create loyalty.
Create Custom Content
Finally, create custom content that speaks to your audience. Blog posts, podcasts, Youtube videos— these are all powerful ways to share thoughts with your audience and become an expert in your field. This is an especially important piece of subtle branding for entrepreneurs, who are often personally tied to the business itself.
Conclusion
In a world of shares and retweets, original thoughts stand out and make an impact. Using your voice to teach and connect will bolster your brand in an entirely different way, extending beyond the power of logos and taglines. It’s also an effective way to generate leads and fill your sales pipeline over time.
With these five tips, you can build an impactful brand that connects with your audience and creates trust and loyalty.
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