Business branding comprises of creating an easy-to-understand message for your business and the commodities you offer; it includes using names, slogans, logos, etc. Branding works towards creating and shaping people’s perception of the business and its products and services.

Phases of Branding

Brand Strategy

Brand strategy is a proposal that focuses on the development of the purpose and impact of your business over a longer term. Your branding strategy highlights what sets your business apart from others and what makes you likable, trustworthy, and memorable.

The brand strategy is the founding pillar for creating a successful and profitable brand. Businesses might overlook this basic part because they do not know of its importance. However, the branding strategy has the same importance for a business that a blueprint for a building has. Simply put, a business without a brand strategy will be quick to crumble.

Brand Identity

The brand identity of your business is what you convey to the public about your business; it communicates what you want the people to feel about your business, your products and services. It basically includes conveying your brand strategy to the public through visuals and messages; for e.g. your logo, website design, content, adverts, product packaging, colors, fonts, etc.

It is a way to make your business become recognizable and memorable

Brand Marketing

Brand marketing is the way business create awareness of their commodities in the market, by highlighting their values and connecting their voice to the right audience through communicating strategically and effectively.

1.     Take inspiration:

Review the actions and strategies of your competitor businesses; create strategies similar to the ones you think are successful and correct the ones you think are wrong. Research their appearance according to their brand identity, the qualities and features of their products or services, the content they publish, their marketing and advertising, social media pages, accounts, and posts, and the content they publish.

Conduct a SWOT analysis of your business and compare it to that of your competitors. Avoid ripping off other brands entirely.

2.     Understand Your Customer:

Visualize an ideal customer amongst your target audience, their interests and needs. Otherwise, you could interview potential customers and collect data regarding their demands, needs, and expectations. It helps you commit to your target audience and market.

Make deduction of who you are already helping with your products and how you are doing so. Checks the data of your competitors to help you make assumptions about what the customers expect and how you can help them. Find a niche and operate on that.

3.     Get a Professional Logo:

Regardless of the size of your business, you need a proper identity for your business. You can get a logo designed professionally for your business. You can either find cheaper graphic designers online or hire an expensive reputable company. Make sure your logo design is exceptional and memorable.

Remember to not overthink your logo.

4.     Create a Slogan:

A brand slogan is a short phrase or tagline that summarizes the purpose of your brand but does not have to necessarily apply to the products or services; i.e. L’Oréal’s “Because you’re worth it”; it is memorable as the slogan but does not apply to their all products. 

Ensure that your slogan is memorable, conveys positivity, explains a key benefit of your business and sets your business apart. Remember to keep your logo short and simple.

5.     Current Trends:

When creating a brand from scratch, research the market situation and current trends of your industry, find out what the latest demands are and what appeals to the customers. Avoid getting too caught up in the trends; remember the purpose of your business.

6.     Define Your Brand’s Personality:

Think of how you would describe your brand using one adjective; base your brand’s personality on that. Align the attributes of your business with the buyer persona. Focus on determining a brand personality that is authentic and empathizes with the target customers. This will help you generate more leads and resonate with customers.

7.     Business Values:

Develop the values of your business; treat the employees and the customers well. A friendly business culture will have a good impact on the brand identity. Avoid going against the values of your business as that can have an inverse effect on the brand’s image.

8.     Trademark:

Don’t forget to Trademark your brand. Get a copyright for your brand identity as soon as possible, these days there are a lot of people present who do not hesitate to copy other people’s hard work. However, do not put your trademark everywhere.