Brand Building 101  

A recognizable and unique brand is one of the biggest assets to any company, big or small. The reason for this is clear; the more recognizable your brand, the more consumers will buy your products. How then can you continue to build your brand and help consumers recognize your services and products through your brand awareness? 

What is a Brand? 

Ask marketing experts and you may get several different answers to this question. Some may say your brand is your logo, tagline, and color palette, while others may explain that your brand is the perception that consumers have of your company. 
In reality, the answer is all of the above. Your brand is your reputation in your industry and the community, your outward image and inward operations, as well as your trademark, logo, name, and tagline. It all equals what consumers think about you and your company. 

Tips To Building Your Brand 

Ask the leaders of some of the most well-known companies in our country, like Apple, McDonalds, Microsoft, Amazon, or LEGO and they will tell you that it took years and lots of hard work to build the brands that they are known for. 

Build Your Identity

One of the biggest tips these business leaders can agree on is knowing what makes your company different. They suggest answering some pretty fundamental questions such as: why does your company exist, what problems do you solve, why should people care, and what sets you apart from other companies? 
As a company, these questions should be at the forefront when dealing with clients, consumers, and employees. Do that and your brand will become apparent to all that encounter your products and services. 

Keep Your Visuals Consistent

While most marketing professionals will tell you that a logo and color palette alone do not create a brand, they will tell you that all of your visuals need consistency. That means that the logo, colors, typography, and overall design needs to be consistent across the board, whether it is on the website, letterhead, or business cards. Some offices even make sure that their signage and color palette are maintained. 

Understand Your Competition

Part of building your brand is understanding the strengths and weaknesses of others in your field, most especially your closest competition in your area. Complete a competitive analysis that can give you an idea how your business can stand out from the rest. 
In studying your competition, you will want to pay special attention to how your competitors present themselves in terms of common visual elements, trends, industry-specific visual themes, brand personalities, and reputation. 
Want more information on how to build your brand? Check out our workshop on, “How to Use Words to Build Brand and Demand.” 
 

Categorised in: Blog, branding, Business Plan, Marketing, Media