20th May 2020
Branding is the total sum of your business. From a simple logo design to company values and everything in between, branding has the power to change the customer expectations, notions and perceptions at an inherent level. In the contemporary world, branding is the most effective communication tool to connect with the intended and potential audience.
Regardless of the industry, business size, or clientele, branding packs a punch that traditional marketing and advertising strategies don’t.
Have you ever wondered what makes people spend $8 on a cup of coffee or $1000 on a wedding dress that they’ll most likely never wear again? If you HAVE, you’re actually indirectly admiring the branding strategy of that business.
The concept of branding has been around for decades. While in the past it was mostly reserved for big business and multi-national ventures, it has now become a mainstream phenomenon and is applied everywhere. Still, many businesses don’t realize the true potential of branding and often fail to capitalize on countless opportunities it can create.
One of the biggest misconceptions about branding is that it’s unnecessary, and customers don’t really care about it as long as you have top-rated products. There’s no doubt that products and services often speak for themselves, but often, the sound quickly dies considering its limited exposure. Branding enhances exposure and helps businesses amplify their reach in order to gain higher conversions.
Another myth about branding is that it’s costly with little to no return. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Market research and surveys suggest that companies see a tremendous impact on their sales once they put their selves out there. As the customers start to form an opinion of your business and deem it credible, they want to purchase your products, ultimately helping you reach your sales goals.
Here are the four key reasons why a business needs to become a brand and have a strong brand image, not only in front of the audience but in the competitive market as well.
if you want your business to stay one step ahead of the competition. A good branding strategy separates the best from the average and sends out a clear message about who’s reliable and worthy of time and money to the audience. This directly leads to an increase in the customer base and helps build lifelong, positive relationships between customers and the brand.
Emotional value creates a feeling through which customers attach to your product. In a diluted marketplace, the intrinsic value of products is losing the charm it once had on the customer. Now, customers want is to feel special when interacting with you and need an experience no other business can offer. This not only helps your business better target niche audience but also allows you to sell products at premium prices. This is why people choose to buy iPods instead of any random Bluetooth earphones or why people prefer to shop at Ikea instead of local furniture stores.
Brand image can be an invaluable part of parallel marketing and advertising efforts. With branding, ads can have more impact on the intended audience as they start recognizing you both in real-world and internet platforms.
Painting your business in a different color can be an excellent strategy to not only convert customers but also force them to care about you and what you stand for. This directly influences promotion through word of mouth.
For any business, the move from business to brand a can redefine the future possibilities and pave the path to success. But how do you go about establishing yourself as a brand that’s both successful in the eyes of the audience and has a clear standing in the market? We’re here to talk all about it!
Devising a smart brand strategy takes a lot of work and research into consumer behaviors, market trends, and business potential. The audience must connect with your brand by understanding it through the brand story you tell; otherwise, there’ll be a gaping hole between who you are and how you’re perceived, ultimately leading to your downfall.
But worry not, because we have listed down remarkable branding ideas that any business can use to get started.
There’s always more to a business than its products and services. New businesses may have trouble understanding these elements on their own, which is why looking at the competition and reviewing their strategies can be extremely helpful.
You don’t need to copy exactly what the rivaling brands are doing but only take inspiration from their campaigns to learn about what works and what doesn’t.
Review their social media presence and posting habits. Analyze how they engage their followers on popular platforms, how frequently they post on social media, and what’s the size of their online community.
You can also use social media to dig deeper into their brand identity and how they sound when talking to the customers. The kind of tone, words, and choice of content can all distinguish one brand from another, even when the differences are minor and apparently unnoticeable.
You can further look into their web design, user experience, navigation, and call-to-action themes. This kind of competitor research helps you do a better personal SWOT analysis and offers you a chance to improve in areas where you may lack.
We’re no longer living in traditional marketing and advertisement era where information dispersion was one-way, and consumers had limited access to information. Today, it’s all about open and transparent communication where the customer feels as much a part of the process as the brand itself.
This is why it’s vital that you capitalize on any and all communication channels in an effort to relay your company’s vision and values as clearly as possible. Two-sided communication ensures that your efforts to talk to customers don’t go in vain in case there’s an understanding gap or any miscommunication.
It’s of utmost importance that you leave no margin for the error, and even if you do, you can rely on instant feedback to fix your faults in real-time.
The one-size-fits-all approach isn’t practical in the world of branding and marketing, but that shouldn’t stop you from learning everything you can about the target audience. At one point, you’ll have to commit only to a niche audience that makes up for the majority of your customers, but till then, use the data to amplify your reach as much as possible.
Creating a buyer persona and visualizing what your audience looks like can help you create more focused campaigns and make educated guesses about what they expect from you in the future. One of the best ways to produce an accurate buyer persona is through online reviews and recommendations. You can also rely on feedback through call and email to form an understanding of whom your business helps solve problems for.
You can only become a successful brand when you learn to eliminate those who aren’t your primary audience and stop trying to be everything to everyone.
Your business deserves an identity regardless of its size. Logo design is the first step to get there. Your business logo goes on everywhere and everything from proposals and internal memos to social media, merchandise, coffee mugs, and even stationery.
Logos may take minimal space, but they’re still a critical part of a comprehensive brand development strategy and play a massive role in improving customer retention. A great logo follows a style guide and considers everything from structure to font, style, colors, and design type in its making.
For small businesses hiring full-time, branding agencies, and graphic designers can be intimidating given their budget restraints and financial standing. However, there are still plenty of options available in the market that cater to a wide range of businesses, and Indigo Logo Design is one.
A website plays a crucial role in building the credibility of your business. When clients search for a specific product or service online, you need to be there. Without a website, you lose out on a huge target audience. Not just that but a modern website design plays a vital role in promoting your brand. When clients trust a brand they are more likely to buy from it so make sure you keep a modern website design as an integral part of your branding strategy.
So, what does a modern website design entail? Depending on the type of your business, industry and demographics, opt for a simple design, a lot of white space, catchy and to the point content, splashes of color and great photos. Audiences generally prefer a sophisticated website as it helps set the tone for the brand. Another more imperative need of the day is, to provide a responsive website. Customers are usually buying, listing and reviewing brands on the go. Most do not have the time to sit in front of a desktop to shop. This is where a responsive website will help boost your brand. A website that can adjust on each screen size and device without any glitches will attract more traffic as compared to a website that isn’t responsive. No one wants to shop on a static website these days and so you will lose out on potential customers.
We provide comprehensive branding, marketing, advertising, and designing services to up-and-coming businesses. With several packages and options to customize services, we proudly serve clients all over the US and beyond.
Using simple principles of the logo and graphic design, we help you bring your vision for your brand to life. By working closely with you, we make the process simpler and your logo timeless.
If you’re looking to hire us for design and branding services, start by getting in touch here. Discuss your concept with our designers to create a versatile and memorable logo design!
As Paul Rand says, “Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.”So let us make it extraordinary for you!
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