Insight – 08/05/2024
Have you considered that your brand is more than just a visual identity?
In the dynamic landscape of modern business, where competition is fierce, a robust brand isn’t merely an embellishment; it’s indispensable for survival. Your brand serves as your public identity, embodying your reputation and forming the bedrock of your relationship with customers. However, let’s acknowledge the truth: crafting a brand that genuinely strikes a chord with your audience is no easy feat. Along the journey, you’re likely to face hurdles—those typical branding obstacles that can impede your progress towards achieving business objectives.
If your branding is confusing, inconsistent, generic, or otherwise sub-par, you can easily undermine your business’s credibility and ruin your chance for success.
Let’s look at eight branding mistakes that will cripple your business (with tips on how to avoid them):
1. Not understanding what ‘branding’ is
One of the most misunderstood marketing concepts on earth is branding. Ask 10 people what a brand is and you’ll get 10 different answers – it’s a name, a company or entity, it’s a logo, a consistent look and feel, it’s a culture, it’s differentiators, and on and on. We know that customers buy certain brands and don’t buy others and we want the former and not the latter, and yet without knowing what a brand is, there’s no way to make that happen.
The fact is that a brand is none of the above – and all of them.
Every savvy business person knows branding is critically important, but few actually understand exactly what it is. Unfortunately, misconceptions are often exacerbated by many who incorrectly call themselves “branding experts”.
Most people associate branding with a website, a tagline, a logo, or even a brochure. Consider an example of a company selling some specific products getting their name’s font style, colour, or other elements changed. Many people misunderstand this process as ‘rebranding’, as design elements are slightly or heavily altered. Well, this is definitely a part of the rebranding process. However, rebranding is not just confined to changing the design elements.
Good branding goes beyond aesthetics; it builds trust, loyalty, and perceived value. It stimulates a bond with the customer that resonates emotionally and logically.
Your brand encapsulates your narrative, your fundamental purpose, and the promises made to your customers. It is your reputation, residing ultimately in the minds of those you serve. Your brand isn’t defined solely by what you declare it to be; rather, it’s shaped by the perceptions of your customers, though you can influence these perceptions through deliberate actions. A well-defined, consistent brand serves as the backbone of your business, directing your investments and fostering growth and prosperity. Even in the face of budget constraints or time limitations, whether you’re a small business, nonprofit, or startup, you can construct a formidable brand akin to industry giants like Nike. Your unique story and mission hold immense power. Being smaller and closer to your customers than larger corporations gives you the advantage of deeply engaging and inspiring your audience, regardless of its size, thereby contributing to the betterment of your community or the world at large.
Some people believe brand is merely a logo, a website, or company colors. I work with many business owners who say, “Oh,I don’t need a Brand Strategy. I already have my logo and business cards, thank you.” But those items are only outer symbols of the
brand—vehicles that communicate your brand to the world. They are not the brand itself.
2. Thinking branding is all fluff
Brand equity can either propel a company to success or lead to its downfall. Dismissing the financial impact of branding overlooks why private equity firms invest billions in acquiring brands: to harness their brand reputation and loyal customer base. Research demonstrates that a strong brand image correlates with increased sales, higher gross margins, and enhanced return on investment. Building a robust brand isn’t just a luxury; it’s a survival strategy, particularly during economic downturns. Strong brands have shown resilience in challenging economic climates and have thrived during periods of recovery.
Consider why customers are willing to pay premium prices for products associated with certain brands. It’s why a basic white T-shirt fetches three times the price at Nordstrom compared to Target. It’s why patrons specifically request Coca-Cola at restaurants, switching to water if only Pepsi is available. And it’s why a couch from Pottery Barn exudes sophistication while a similar one from a discount store may seem lackluster. A compelling brand directly translates into increased sales and improved profitability.
Building a brand and effectively communicating it to the right audience at the opportune moment can draw in the desired customers. Furthermore, a robust brand serves as a compass for other marketing strategies crucial for driving your company’s expansion. These decisions, such as choosing advertising channels, selecting strategic partnerships, and determining product pricing, are far from trivial; they are the vital components that sustain your organization’s vitality and growth.
3. Trying to target everyone
It’s a marketing truism that brands trying to be everything for everybody run the risk of being nothing for no one.
That’s why a major decision brands face is deciding which consumers to target with their limited dollars. After all, targeting determines how the brand will be positioned, which messages will be crafted, and on which channels the campaign’s ads will ultimately appear. Indeed, the idea of targeting is a staple of any branding strategy.
To increase your chances of selling your products, you need to appeal to an audience that is likely to use them.
You can’t market your Pilates studio to middle-aged men with a passion for motorbikes. The likelihood of them being interested is minimal.
Believe it or not, this branding mistake is not a rare occurrence as you might think.
Identifying individuals who are inclined to buy your products and customising your branding to resonate with them is crucial. This is where creating a buyer persona comes into play. A buyer persona is essentially a hypothetical portrayal of your perfect customer, crafted through thorough market analysis.
Read our blog post on how to identify your target market.
4. DIY visual brand idneity design
Perception is a reality.
We understand the challenges of running a business, juggling countless tasks and expenses. Not everyone has the budget to cover everything they envision at all times. So, why not try your hand at creating your own logo and visuals to kickstart your journey?
With numerous free and affordable options available, it’s simpler than ever to dive into ‘design’. There’s a plethora of accessible tools to explore.
However, the downside to this approach is that many DIY designers lack professional training. Often, the uniqueness of your business and its value may not be fully captured, resulting in a generic, cookie-cutter output. Worse yet, your brand identity will look unprofessional and scream DIY even before a potential customer has had a chance to have a good look around your poorly designed website. This approach may be saving you money in the short run but hurt your brand in the long run.
Is an unprofessional brand identity truly the impression you wish to convey about your business?
5. Designing a brand identity without a brand strategy
You may be working with a talented designer but a brand’s visual idneity is meaningless unless it’s backed by a robust brand strategy. Without strategy your brand identity may look aesthetically pleasing but it’s not doing anything.
A holistic brand strategy answers key questions about your business before your designer even thinks about what colours or typeface to use in your logo. A robust brand strategy must include the following:
- Why do you exist?
- What is your mission in business?
- What are the values that guide your business?
- What differentiates you from your competitors?
- What is your unique value proposition?
- How does your brand communicate?
6. Inconsistent voice
A brand encompasses all the encounters your customers and potential customers have with your company. A robust brand not only conveys what your company offers and how it operates but also builds trust and credibility.
Your brand voice is the language and tone you use to influence how your brand looks, sounds, and feels to your client or customer base. While what you convey is crucial, the manner in which you convey it should not be overlooked.
Keeping your brand voice uniform across channels allows your company to:
- Optimise first impressions with the right messaging—no matter where and how your customers initially encounter your brand.
- Distinguish your brand from your competitors.
- Improve brand recognition by making your messaging memorable. For some brands, a catchy slogan or catchphrase may work well—think about what “Where’s the beef?” did for Wendy’s or “Just do it” did for Nike.
- Build stronger connections with your audience. Customers feel safer trusting brands from whom they know what kind of experience to expect. In fact, an Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report found that 81% of consumers cite trust as a necessary prerequisite to making a purchase.
Your company’s “voice” embodies the language and personality used by you and your team to communicate your brand message and connect with customers. Successful brands have a distinct voice.
Consider the brands you admire—what sets them apart? How do they engage with you and others? What appeals to you about their tone?
Why does brand consistency matter?
Because it fosters recognition, and recognition breeds trust. Customers gravitate toward brands they trust.
7. No vision
Think about the brands you love. Those brands commonly stand for something (or against something) and connect with their customers emotionally.
Brands without a clear vision often face significant challenges. Here’s why:
Lack of Direction: A vision serves as a guiding light for a brand, outlining its purpose, goals, and values. Without a clear vision, the brand lacks direction, making it difficult to make strategic decisions and chart a course for growth.
Inconsistency: Brands without a vision may struggle to maintain consistency in their messaging, visuals, and overall identity. This inconsistency can confuse customers and dilute the brand’s impact, making it harder to build a strong, recognizable brand presence.
Weak Differentiation: A compelling vision helps a brand stand out from competitors by highlighting what makes it unique and valuable to customers. Without a clear vision, a brand may struggle to differentiate itself in the market, leading to increased competition and commoditization.
Lack of Connection: A strong vision resonates with customers on an emotional level, fostering a sense of connection and loyalty. Brands without a vision may struggle to create meaningful connections with their audience, leading to reduced customer engagement and retention.
Difficulty in Innovation: A clear vision provides a framework for innovation, guiding the development of new products, services, and experiences that align with the brand’s purpose and values. Brands without a vision may find it challenging to innovate effectively, leading to stagnation and missed opportunities for growth.
Overall, a compelling vision is essential for guiding a brand’s strategy, fostering consistency and differentiation, building meaningful connections with customers, and driving innovation. Brands that lack a clear vision may find themselves struggling to compete in today’s dynamic and competitive marketplace.
8. They assume branding is very expensive
Effective branding can be achieved on most budgets.
The real key to effective branding is identifying a clear picture of your ideal customers and developing a benefit-driven message that speaks directly to their needs. Once you align customers and benefits, you can work with a designer to create your logo and visual identity and with a writer to craft your copy.
Branding only becomes expensive when you don’t take time to build a clear Brand Strategy first, because then you’re grasping at straws and throwing money away on activities that don’t move you forward. An irresistible brand is not about big budgets; it’s about making a promise your target audience cares about, then delivering on it clearly and consistently across all customer touchpoints.
Effectiveness in branding isn’t about the size of your budget; it’s about leveraging the multitude of customer touchpoints available to convey your brand promise. With creativity, many of these interactions can be utilized at minimal cost or even for free. In today’s landscape, where communication technologies abound, the primary investment is time. A robust Brand Strategy serves as your compass, guiding you to invest in the right activities and thus save money by avoiding wasteful expenditures.
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