Branding Tip #7: Brainstorm Your Brand Story

Your Brand story defines who you are. No brand has ever shone brightly without a gripping Brand story, 

That is why you must work on your Brand story in parallel to other branding efforts.

Your business voice will help to guide you towards one or more possible storylines. 

It will govern the user experience you are offering to your online and offline customers. 

For example, TOMS Shoes has a very clear brand story – to help those who are in need.

The TOMS slogan is “One for One,” meaning that for every pair of shoes you buy, 

the company donates a pair to a child in need and they have done an incredible job

getting their name (and cause) out there.

TOMS Shoes continues to maintain the same story at every touchpoint between their 

customer and their Brand. 

Apart from an interesting or emotion-evoking story, you'll need consistency in promoting 

the same keywords, so that your target customers will associate certain words and 

emotions with your Brand.

BRANDING TIPS #6. Finding Your Brand Voice

 Every Brand has a voice. DrKKJohan once said: “Why you say, what you say, and how you say it, says it all about your Brand.”

A winning Brand is a brand that’s winning the hearts and minds of the people.

It can be the voice of the Michelin Man or an anthropomorphic Mouse in red pants and white gloves! Whatever the expression of your brand….

·        Your target audience must be able to associate your Brand voice to the right emotions

·        Your Brand voice could be service-oriented, professional, promotional, friendly, technical, conversational, informative, authoritative or a combination.

·        The voice depends on your brand mission, vision, industry, and audience.

·        The correct choice of Brand voice will maximize your chances of connecting with your target audience.

·         

BRANDING TIPS #5: Research your competition

 THE goal of your branding is always to distinguish yourself from the competition. Therefore, before you begin worrying about your goal and thinking about your website template, you should invest time and resources in investigating your competitors’ strategies.

·        Find out what kind of color schemes work for brands similar to yours. Research on the USPs of the product and services they have on offer.

·        Your goal should not only be to distinguish yourself from them, but also to convince a customer to buy from you instead of going to your competition.

·        As a result, you should be looking forward to creating a bespoke user experience for your customers, irrespective of their channel/medium of choice.

·        Whether you are reaching out to your online customers or a land-based market, you need a strong message that makes it easy for them to distinguish you from your competition.

BRANDING TIPS #4: Becoming a Superhero for Your Target Customers

BRANDING TIPS #4: Becoming a Superhero for Your Target Customers

Have you ever thought about doing a  little bit more for your target customers than what your competitors are doing right now? In fact, knowing this will make a difference why some companies make it and why some companies break it. Here’s why:

• In business and branding, becoming a superhero brand has little to do with wearing a cape. It has more to do with crafting a bespoke luxurious experience for your customers.

• So, whenever your customers interact with your business -- whether online or offline, they should feel good. And that is the basis of any good customer experience strategy. 

• That calls for a good customer service and PR strategy campaign, which is one of the most secure investments you can ever make during the branding phase of your business.

EVERY Brand needs a visual identity.

 

EVERY Brand needs a visual identity.

Here are a few things you will need to create a unique look for your brand.

1.      A Style Guide – Branding design determines your brand’s logo, font, color palette and the do’s and don’ts of designing.

2.      A Brand Logo – Think of it as the face of your company. Your logo should come before the business cards, letterheads, and websites.

3.      Business Cards – Your business cards must have typefaces and colors that match your logo to maintain consistency.

Invest in your Brand by crafting a visual identity for your business.

DEFINE YOUR BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND identity is not just about your logo and color schemes.

It tells your target group who you are and encompasses everything

about your brand -- from your product and services to your

customer care, and social media presence.

Successful branding involves more than just a big budget. 

It demands creativity, wit, understanding of the brand, and its audience.

While exploring your Brand Identity, you should answer the following

questions.

• What are the 3 words that describe your business? 

• What is the core mission and vision of your company? and;

• What do you bring to the marketplace?

The answers to these questions will help you establish your brand identity,

and further define your brand presence in the marketplace. 

5 Ways To Keep Your Brand Consistent

 When it comes to branding, consistency is key. If you aren’t keeping your brand consistent, consumers can easily get confused. And confusion often leads to disinterest.

A strong, consistent brand is the result of top-tier marketing meeting psychology head-on. Keeping your brand consistent is the only way for it to take off and the only way you can ensure the brand will stand the test of time.

If you’re looking to grow your brand, consistency is the way to do it. Here are five tips for a consistent brand that stands the test of time.

1. Know your message -- A brand is essentially the personality of an organization, and personality starts with the message you are trying to convey with your appearance and actions.

2. Know your audience --  Establish who your target audience is. Having an effective brand doesn’t mean you target everyone — it means you remain consistent for the specific demographic you are targeting.

3. Align your actions with your brand -- Stick to your motto or slogan. Every action, every message, and every post on social media should be done with your brand in mind otherwise, consumers will take note.

4. Interaction is key -- People won’t always stumble upon your company; sometimes you have to go out of your way to get them. Make your presence known within your industry and within your community.

5. Make adjustments -- If you notice something doesn't feel aligned with your brand, fix it. Meet regularly with your team to go over what you are working on,  and address any ideas or concerns.

With these five tips, even a marketing novice can create a long-lasting brand for their company.

10 Branding Tips For A Better Company Image

 (INTRO)

When it comes to branding, most people think about logos and colors. But branding is about more than just recognizability.

It's about the impact that you have on a customer and how it sends a message.

(TIPS)

1.   Clearly Identify Yourself.

2.   Make It Easy For People to Understand.

3.   Let Your Brand Tell a Story.

4.   Consider What Your Customer Will Think.

5.   Ask Why You are Doing This.

6.   Create a Liquid Experience.

7.   Be Creative and Approachable.

8.   Design for The Long-Term.

9.   Try The ROI Principle

10. Think About Extensibility

(CONTENT)

1. Clearly Identify Yourself

Your company name, logo and slogan should provide insights into what you do and the products or services that you offer. If you miss this opportunity, you will spend valuable time and energy on explaining the basics.

2. Make It Easy For People to Understand

Make it easy for people to understand what you do, and find a campaign to publicise the brand. Sufficient publicity can do a huge amount to define your brand.

3. Let Your Brand Tell a Story

Let your name, slogan and logo tell a story. Having a clear message behind your business will allow the consumer to grasp the pillars that your company embodies.

4. Consider What Your Customer Will Think

Define your customer and then create your brand to attract them. Are you Toyota or Lexus? Payless or Tom Ford? Walmart or Target?

5. Ask Why You Are Doing This

Ask yourself: What difference will it make in the lives of the consumer who buys your products and services? Start by building a foundation of who and why you are selling what you sell, and work up from there.

6. Create a Liquid Experience

A liquid experience is a cohesive branding strategy that takes into consideration the user and audience in an intimate way. The first impression can say a lot about a company, its values and what it does. Keep this in mind, when communicating with your audience.

7. Be Creative and Approachable

The best company branding is a combination of creativity and approachability. Adopt a creative spin without deviating from what your prospective consumers expect from your product or service.

8. Design for The Long-Term

Being trendy is fine, but consider how your brand will hold up over time. How will you bring the message to life in a way that won’t look dated in five to 10 years.

9. Try The ROI Principle

Follow the ROI principle: Relevant, Original and Impactful. Make sure that your clients are aligned with these ROI standards and encourage them to test it out.

10. Think About Extensibility

Your branding assets are often consumers’ first impression of your company. So it is important to create something unique to your business that represents the integrity of your company, and make sure it’s extensible to weather the changes over the years.

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Q&A Why is Branding So Important?

 Q&A Why is Branding So Important? 

If you have heard people ask that question before, here is the answer: 

“Branding is important because it helps you stand out from the competition and establish ways in which you’re different, special, and unique. It shows your customers why they should work with you instead of your competitors.

       It doesn’t matter what kind of company you have, or what industry you’re in, or what type of customer you are after—if you are in business, you have to be serious about Branding.  

Here are four reasons:

(Title)

1. Builds brand recognition -- If you want to build a successful brand, you need to be recognizable.

(Caption)

 The right branding (including designing an impactful logo, website, and other brand assets) helps you carve out a distinct style, and it increases your brand recognition in the market.

(Title)

2. Creates consistent brand experience -- Branding allows you to control how people perceive and experience your brand.

(Caption)

For your business to succeed, you need to provide a consistent experience for your customers by ensuring that perception and experience stay consistent across all your brand touchstones --  whether it is through your website, at an in-person event, or by following your social media accounts. 

(Title)

3. Sparks a connection with your audience -- and turns them into your loyal customers. 

(Caption)

The most successful businesses are the ones that foster an emotional connection with their audience. That emotional connection is what transforms a prospect into a customer, and the customer into a brand enthusiast. And how do you create and build that connection? Branding.

(Title)

4. Strengthens your Brand Voice -- Different branding strategies like packaging and color psychology also adds an emotional punch to your brand voice.

(Caption)

Having a Brand Voice will help you to connect with your audience at a deeper level, and create a sense of loyalty to your brand.

10 TIPS FOR BUILDING A GREAT BRAND YOUR CUSTOMER WILL LOVE

 10 TIPS FOR BUILDING A GREAT BRAND YOUR CUSTOMER WILL LOVE

Building a great brand is absolutely necessary if you want your business to stand out. It is the best way to make a connection with your audience, to build a relationship, to earn their trust and ultimately turn them into paying customers.  Here are 10 things you NEED to know if you’re building your brand.

(*Note: Use the bold text as the headline for your graphics, as the rest as caption)

Tip #1: Your brand is the personality, the heart, and the soul of what the company is.

Often people associate brands with colors, fonts, or a distinct look and that definitely forms part of it. But a strong brand is created by what the business stands for, the mission and the vision of the founder, and the values the company lives by.

Tip #2: Position your Brand values clearly for customers to identify with them.

It’s about highlighting those shared beliefs between the company and the customer, which will make people want to stand with that brand (or not!).

Tip #3: Know the values you want to infuse into the essence of your business.

When you show up for your audience, how do you want to show up? Who do you want to be for them?  For example, I’ve always positioned it as advice from a best friend, rather than an expert, and that then informs the brand voice.

Tip #4: Your brand voice creates emotion and helps customers identify with your brand.  The right tone of voice will build relationships and give your audience a clear idea of how the brand makes them feel.

Tip #5: Know who your audience is and build a brand to make them trust you.

A lot of entrepreneurs misjudge the situation and build the business from their perspective, but your business is not about you, it’s about your audience. You have to build the brand that will blow them away, that’s going to make them trust you and help them get to know you. Build  the brand for them, and think about what you’re going to do that will resonate with them

Tip #6: Create an avatar that represents your ideal customer.

Get into the mind of that person and understand who they are, how they live, what they are like. Discover who he or she is and how you can connect with that person. Get clear on their fears, doubts, worries, beliefs and dreams, the problems and the challenges they face.

Tip #7: Be clear on how you can serve your customer better

Get clear on who that person is in relation to who the company is and how you can help them achieve something, or overcome a challenge.

Tip #8: There are no unique messages only unique messengers.

We are unique messengers so we have to show up and stand for something specific and distinct.

Tip #9: Get involved in the design process as this is YOUR vision coming to life.

When it comes to physically creating the look and feel of your business, as the founder, you must get involved in the design process as you’re the one that determines the feel of the company.

Tip #10: Make sure that your design style is consistent across all platforms

Put together a brand mood board so that people can recognize your brand at first glance in line with your brand values.

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NIKE - “Just Do It”

The Nike's "Just do it" slogan, was created 30 years ago by renown advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy and it's still one of the core components of Nike's brand.

Nike's famous slogan, “Just Do It,” was inspired by the last words of Gary Gilmore, a murderer on death row.

The campaign launched in 1988 was highly successful ever since, by featuring numerous notable athletes in order to attract customers and promote the image of Nike.

Nike created an image of success through the combination of professional athletes and motivational slogans emphasizing sportsmanship and health.

Colin Kaepernick is the new face of the company’s new “Just Do It” campaign.

According to the study conducted by researchers from Texas Tech University called “A study of the antecedents of slogan liking” the Nike “Just Do It” was the most recalled slogan of all.

What can we learn from NIKE slogan?

1. It works because it motivates people. 

1. Nike is about sports and working out. “Just do it” sounds like a personal trainer, pushing you to get up from that couch and do the work to get results.

1. The slogan is universal and intensely personal which leads to customers associating their purchases with the prospect of achieving greatness.

1. It’s everywhere – that’s why it works. Nike is a powerful brand with enormous advertising potential.

5 TikTok Video Ideas For Small Businesses

As a small business owner, you might be wondering how to use Tik-Tok to promote your business. 

Unlike what some people may think, Tik Tok isn’t just a new social media platform for teens to post pranks or dancing videos. 

In fact, there are many businesses that use Tik Tok to promote their brand.

Here are five ideas to get your customers to know you better.

1. Introduce Yourself: A great first TikTok video for small business owners is to introduce themselves. 

The more personal your business feels, the more people will be able to relate. 

Share your name, a few fun facts about yourself and a little about your business so people can get to know you as soon as they follow.

2. Workspace Tour: Share your workspace with your customers! 

They will love to see where your products are created. 

Do you have a dedicated home office? Do you have a retail location? Do you work at your kitchen table? Showing off your workspace helps your customers relate to you even more.

3. Day in the Life: Take your followers along with you on a typical day as a small business owner! 

Show a few things that you do throughout the day; everything from the tedious things like paperwork and phone calls to the more exciting things like designing a new product line. 

This will help your customers understand what it’s really like to be a small business owner.

4. Success Story: There are lots of success stories on TikTok. What will yours be? Can you share your biggest achievement? 

Or what was something you accomplished in your small business that you are really proud of? 

Don’t be afraid to brag a little bit!

5. Meet The Team: It’s nice for your customers to get to know you as well as the team that helps your small business stay afloat. 

Can your team members each do a video to introduce themselves? 

Or are you a family-run business? Let your customers get to know the people behind your business.