It is becoming more commonplace for customers to assess and then make purchasing choices online. Take a look at your personal purchasing habits. How often have you looked at your competitors before you even stepped into an establishment (if you do go to an actual store and do not purchase on the internet!). This is what makes branding more essential than ever.
What exactly is branding? It’s all about the perception that customers have of your company and should include the persona and character as well as values. Your branding should extend to your storefront or office and all signage and print materials, your website and your online presence, customer service, and interactions with your team.
How do you begin?
Find out who are your competitors and what are their websites like?
Sound and feel like. Do you think your site should stand out or conform to the rest of the market? What is unique about you, and how do you distinguish yourself from the rest of your competitors? The people you are serving (and knowing their requirements) will determine your direction.
Learn your identity and the people you are serving
(a small amount of research!) What are your customers care about most? Prioritize your customers – meet their needs on your site, starting with easy-to-find contact details. Check if your copy is too long or full of words that are not understood. Does your content appear on the page to be easy to read? Does it convey enough of the story for it to be informative, do you include reviews to help make decisions more accessible, and are your pricing/packages simple to locate and comprehend? Do they know the value they’re receiving? We have an excellent worksheet to help clients understand their customer needs. If you’d like to get a copy, please contact us! We’ll be happy to pass the worksheet to you.
Create a mission statement and vision.
All actions and communications should be tied to your mission as well as your vision. Your branding should reflect your goals for the future. Let’s say that your mission is to re-invent an industry and be different by turning the market upside down. Sounds radical? What if that’s your idea, and your site is a greyish hue with formal language, filled with words. How does this relate to your concept?
Create and copy – do not undervalue the potential to appeal visually.
Create a logo that’s easily identifiable, and select a color scheme that represents your beliefs and values. Your website’s structure must be easy to navigate and have clearly laid-out text that is easy to comprehend with a simple typeface (not too script or hard to comprehend). Your copy should be professional and display the ability to communicate in a language that everyone is able to comprehend. Your copy must be free of grammar and spelling mistakes (enlist assistance from an editor or, at the very minimum, get a peer to examine your work).
Social media can be a reflection of your brand’s identity, and this covers the look, feel as well as the content. Utilize social media to expand your reach by providing timely responses to demonstrate your commitment to customer service and quality content that is carefully produced in accordance with your goals.
One tip to consider is to make a style guide that includes guidelines for voice, tone, and style. It also includes guidelines for websites, social media layout, or any graphic design in the near future. Be sure to set expectations for your team! This is the ideal time to develop guidelines regarding response times as well as the signature line, tone, and professionalism.
The most important thing is that You are the brand you represent, so remain constant!
