BRANDING
A brand is how a business is perceived in the mind of someone who has experienced it in some way. Someone can form this perception by hearing a friend comment on the business, spotting a logo on a delivery van, reading a review online, listening to an interview with the founder, or having personal experience as a customer.
Think of all the ways your business could leave an impression on someone—a customer, supplier, employee, journalist, or anyone else who may encounter it. These are your brand touchpoints, and the special place it occupies in someone's mind is called brand positioning.
How does it help my business?
A brand is valuable because it helps you connect more easily with your customers, stand out from your competitors, and increase the value of your offer. Articulating what your business is about can also help you define your own identity and give you more confidence in promoting it personally.
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Connecting with your audience
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The moment when a potential customer connects with your business at a brand touchpoint is crucial. The goal is to draw customers to your business because it feels like the right fit for them.
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Communicating difference
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Branding is a way of highlighting what makes your business different from your competitors. Customers have both rational and emotional reasons for choosing products or services; branding can connect with your customers on an emotional level
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Creating additional value
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Because branding influences perception, customers may be willing to pay more for a well-branded product or service. The brand's perception must match the experience, or there will be no repeat business. This is often described as keeping the brand promise.
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Where do I start?
Think of all the experiences you have had to date with your business and why your customers have chosen you in the past. This is where you will find the clues which will help you form the basis of your brand. Many people don't believe there is anything particularly distinctive about what they do, but there is something unique about each business. It helps to go back to the company's beginning and identify the original motivation.
Imagine what you would like your future customers to say about you if you're a new business without previous experience to draw on. For example, a plumber may want to be known for being particularly considerate and tidy in people's homes. A furniture maker may have a focus on using sustainable materials. A restaurant might want to be known for its warm and homey atmosphere. All these factors have the potential to be the basis of a brand.
The brand-building process can be as surface level as logo design, or as deep as thinking about your legacy. When it comes to the deeper side of brand building, defining your brand's values will help you articulate what your business stands for to your customers. The culture of a small business tend to reflect those of the founders, so it's always a fruitful exercise to clarify these by writing them down. Try to move away from generic words like "honest" and "passionate." Instead, identify values that are incredibly true to you and shaped by your personal experiences.