Building a brand is a key aspect of growth in business which every company has to undertake if it truly wants to be successful in the ever-competitive business terrain. It is what shapes how the company is viewed in the eyes of its present and potential clients.

Brand building holds the key to your success in business, as it helps set’s your brand apart from competitors. To help you understand the brand-building process, let’s check out what a brand truly means.

What Is A Brand.

A brand is an actual reflection of a company’s image, It is the visual representation of every image, information, and conception of the way your company’s products or services are viewed in general.

According to Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and one of the world’s richest men, his definition of a brand is simply what other people say about you when you’re not present. As simple as it is, your brand is your reputation, and for it to be successful, there has to a sustained level of consistency in communication and experience across several applications, some of which include;

• Content Publishing
• Environment(storefront or office)
• Website & Online Advertising
• Sales & Customer Support
• Print, Packaging & Signage

The Brand Building Process

With brand building process being a simple straight forward one, you also need to be aware that building a brand building does not happen overnight or in a short time. It requires a series of continuous and sustained efforts that will create long-term relationships with your customers. The end result is a gradual increase in sales, word-of-mouth referrals, more projects and lots of recommendations for your company’s products or services.

If you’re thinking of where to start from when building a personal brand or business brand, I’ve simplified the brand-building process below for easy understanding to help you get started. Using these brand-building strategies as a guide will set you on the right path towards brand building.

Brand Building Strategies

Identify Your Brands Target Audience

The first step in the brand-building process is to identify your brand’s target audience. This helps you know gather important information about who you are marketing your company’s product or services to, because the strategies which you would use for single moms who work from home differs from what works with college students studying abroad or entrepreneurs and business owners.

You just have to find the people who are more likely to show interest in your products, identify their particular interests and values, as these variables will make it easier for you to discover your brand’s target audience.

Find Your Selling Point

Building a brand requires being known for something. For example, when someone thinks of your company’s product or service, there should be some uniqueness that distinguishes your brand from competitor brands. Coca-Cola is an excellent case study. The first thing that comes to mind when you hear Coca-Cola would be about quality. The Coca-Cola brand is widely known around the world for its production of high-quality beverages and soft drinks.

Having your brand associated with quality is a very integral part of brand building, and this makes it easier for your target audience to trust you.

Consistency Pays

Being consistent is the secret recipe in building a successful brand. Every customer prefers doing business with a brand that has a proven track record of being successful. For small business owners and startups, carrying out periodic evaluations on employee performance will determine how they’ve been carrying out their duties.

Also, endeavor to pay close attention to customer feedback and interactions, as they are key factors which help to determine their level of satisfaction with your company’s service or product. These variables will help determine your level of consistency, and also show you important areas on which you can make improvements.

Track Your Progress

The main purpose of branding is to have a significant increase in sales, and this is an area which very few businesses have succeeded in getting it right. Putting your strategy to test to see if your target audience shares similar perceptions about your brand will go a long way. If they see your brand in a different light from how you do, then trying out other strategies to see what works for you won’t be a bad idea.

Brand building puts you in a position where your fees are no longer structured on what your competitors charge. A strong brand can mean that prospective clients choose to work with you based on the consistency and strength of your recommendations. It also enables you to launch new products knowing that you’ve already captured a large share of your target market.

Create A Brand Mission Statement

Most of the popular brands today are reflections of their respective mission statements. For instance, Nike has s tagline which says “Just Do It”, and being one of the worlds leading manufacturers of sporting goods, Nike’s mission statement ‘is all about innovation and inspiring every athlete who makes use of their high-quality sports apparels.

Nike’s mission statement is similar to Pepsi, another major brand and one of the world’s largest producers of non-alcoholic beverages. Pepsi’s tagline which says “Dare For More” reflects its mission statement which encourages individuals to go the extra mile in their quest for greatness.

So, if you are still thinking of the perfect mission statement for your brand, ensure to craft a clear expression (tagline) of what your company is most passionate about.

Create Your Own Style

Prospective customers are not searching for a company that offers same thing as everyone else. They need something unique and tailored to their specific needs. During the brand-building process, take your time to carry out a comprehensive study on your closest competitors to see what they offer and what makes them unique.

Structure your brand personality based on observations gotten from studying other brands, and use your findings to create your brands’ unique style.

Integrate Your Brand Into Every Aspect Of Your Business

The brand-building process is a continuous one, it never stops. Your brand has to be visible, and it should reflect in everything that your customers and prospective clients can see, hear and read. For instance, when a customer walks into your store, your brand image should be visibly displayed for anyone to see, both in the environment and via personal interactions too.

Tangible items like business cards or advertisements flyers, down to product packaging. These items need the stamp of your logo clearly printed on them. On digital platforms, make sure your brand looks the same. Use the unique style of your brand to create a uniform pattern with visuals like colors, fonts and photography.

Also, your website is the most important tool you can ever use to promote your brand. Ensure to incorporate your personality, style, message and brand voice when designing your website.

SUMMARY

After building a personal brand or a brand that works for your small business, you should be aware of the fact the best advocates to promote your brand is “You” if it’s a personal brand or “You & Your Employees” if it’s a business brand. This is simply because your brand is best known by you, and it’s up to you and your employees to spread the word about it.

Before hiring people to work for you, ensure that their dreams fully align with your brands’ mission, vision and values. Encourage them to be pro-active and participate actively in the brand-building process. Don’t forget your loyal customers as well in the brand-building process. Encourage them to post reviews, share your contents and give recommendations.