How Can I Make My Business Stand Out?
Regardless of what business you're in, success requires your business to stand head and shoulders above the rest. How can you make your business stand out in a sea of like businesses? The key is to create a strong brand identity that attracts new customers, builds their trust, and keeps them coming back.
Everything from your logo to your website to the way you answer the phone is part of your brand's identity.
We want you to have a strong brand that reflects the best aspects of your business. Let's find out how to do that.
7 Ways to Build a Strong Brand Identity
1: Your Logo is Your Face
At the center of your brand's visual perception is your logo. As your brand's face, it's your first impression as well. If you're a new enterprise, chances are you didn't have a large marketing budget and settled for an acceptable logo. Be careful not to underestimate the power of this visual asset. Consider reevaluating your logo and getting a professional opinion, if anything else.
BP famously spent over $150 million to develop its current sunflower logo. Of course, your investment would be drastically less, but worth every penny. Starbucks stripped its logo of letters several years ago, and the expense was minimal while the effect was mighty.
2: Clear Brand Values
The identity of every business should reflect its values. Do you know what your values are? Off the top of your head, what three values would you assign to your company's culture and attitude? If these aren't written down somewhere, they ought to be.
You can use these to form a slogan or simply place them somewhere visible on all of your marketing materials. Adding these values literally adds value to your identity.
Google says "Don't Be Evil." SouthWest Airlines encourages its employees to have the "Warrior Spirit." Get creative with your values. As we'll see going forward, this step is the cornerstone for several others.
3: Define Your Personality
Along with your values, you need to have a clear understanding of what kind of personality your business has. Are you serious or playful? Is the company factory-like in its structure or is there a more free-flowing atmosphere in the office?
The personality of your brand should, of course, vary from one industry to another, but don't make the mistake of thinking you have to act like everyone else. On the contrary, if you want to stand out, flip the script!
You should also be conscious of the public perception of your business. For instance, people generally have very low opinions of lawyers. You can succeed by making your firm the fun one that shatters that perception.
4: Consistency Across the Board
Values and personality mean nothing if you aren't consistent. Inconsistency is one of the easiest ways to ruin your brand's identity. This consistency applies to everything you do with respect to your business.
That doesn't mean you can't make changes, but those changes should be carefully thought out and deliberately made. Do your market research by interviewing existing customers or asking new ones to take surveys. Figure out what aspects of your brand are not being recognized.
Remember that your staff represents your brand, too. Your identity also comes from the way they dress and act at work. Do they reflect the values and personality you're trying to transmit? Picture iconic uniformed workers like the Maytag Repairman or the Orkin Man, who look the same both in commercials and while they work in your home.
5: Office Space to Packaging
To make your business stand out, consider every visual aspect. From the sign on your door to your product's packaging - they all have an impact. Again, does the style of your business reflect those values and personality traits you aim to display?
If you sell a product, how you present it matters. There's a reason unboxing any Apple product is part of the customer experience. People like packaging that makes them feel good, so put some thought into yours.
6: Target the Right Market
Your customers also make up a part of your identity. This is especially true if you sell a product that other people will see. Try to picture the average Whole Foods customer or the typical Mac user. Chances are, there's a particular image in your mind.
So what does your customer look like? If you don't have a clear picture, then you may need to reevaluate your target market. Buyer personas - fictional characters with real attributes and demographics paint a picture of your ideal buyer or buyers. The identity of your brand will be affected by the people who embrace it. Make sure they are the right ones.
7: Customer Relationship Marketing
Finally, strengthen relationships with your customers. Loyalty is one of the strongest values for a brand's identity. If you are loyal to your customers by rewarding them with discounts for a future purchase or providing customized services, they will be loyal back. Subaru, for example, is killing it in this regard. They've developed a strong connection by marketing very directly to the type of people buying their vehicles. Their customers have responded with lifelong loyalty.
Need Help With Your Identity?
If you're looking to improve your brand's presence and perception, contact us at Spot On Creative Solutions. We can help you build your brand or refine your existing brand. Whatever the case may be, we'll make sure the results are spot on!