1. Choosing the right name.
Your company’s name goes before you, for that reason, you have to decide what you want for the first impression to convey. We recommend highly that you begin your business name and tagline before thinking about logo and colors.
When choosing a name you have to think, is your business name easily spelled?. Most importantly once you have come up with a name, you have to check that it’s not already being used by another business and to verify whether the related domain names, URLs and social media handles are available.
Your company’s name, tagline, marketing copy, email signature, website domains, social media handles and usernames, will help you define the image of your business. Consider this one of the most important tasks.
2. Go beyond your logo, define your brand.
The visual identity of your brand is about much more than a logo, it is the message the consumer will receive from what you’re selling, the public personification. Good branding represents what your company’s customer service, advertising, and reputation would be perceived as.
The tone of what you want your company to project is important. How would it be its personality? The kind of personality you want to portray, the voice you use, the visual identity and the value of your business are the four elements that is imperative in order to have an effective branding foundation.
You need to give your customers a reason to buy from your business and feel good about their decision. Usually customers are interested in a service or product because it will solve a problem that needs solving. Therefore, having a full understanding of your company and your team will help you deliver on this promise. Since a brand is a promise.
3. Know your audience
Do your research, It is essential to speak with your clients as a group of people who wants more than a product or service but also share the same principles and lifestyle. Think of your brand as a person, and create a persona for your
ideal customer. Make sure that you understand your consumer habits and needs. The perfect approach is important because if the presentation is created and delivered in an appropriate manner you will achieve your goal, A new customer.
4. Does your business have a story? Tell it.
People remember stories more than products and facts. Stories make your business memorable. Your story should captivate prospects and customers in order to grow your business further and become even more successful.
5. Know your competition.
Never underestimate the power of this step, many business do. Your customers will define you in terms of your competitors and near substitutes.
6. Design your brand’s visuals.
One of the main ingredients of branding is consistency. By working with a competent local graphic designer, you are able to give them your ideas of colors, typeface, words and images you would like to use. You should be able to co-create an effective visual brand. Such as the logo, color palette, social media graphics, website, business cards, flyers/postcards, printed material and more. This will define your identity design.
7. Incorporate your brand everywhere.
When you’ve got a small business, every decision counts since you have a limited amount of resources. You have to be creative and select carefully how to leverage every investment. It is important that no matter how small your resources are you should advertise your brand as much as possible, this will bring your company growth and more resources down the line.
8. Be consistent.
It takes multiple impressions before prospects and customers recognize your brand. Your brand and its images must always be the same and stand for constant values for people to recognize it. Especially if you have a limited budget, it is extremely important to represent your company in a constant way.
9. Represent your brand.
You must always represent your brand well. If you want the world to get to know your product or service the best way possible, you must extend the values you want associated with your brand. Take the time to work with your staff so that you all present a consistent image to the public.
Ask trusted business partners or trustworthy customers how they perceive your brand its strengths and weaknesses. Identify where you might have space for improvement. Take notes, and work to make your company grow and become more valuable.
10. Think BIG even if your business is small.
A good branding exercise is to think how a small business could operate in a global marketplace. A common mistake of small businesses is to “to think like a small one” Thinking like this can restrict your creativity and bigger possibilities. Always think big from the start!