When thinking about your existing business, do you know what other people are saying about it? It may come as a surprise but, your brand IS your reputation. Full stop. How you go about building it, is entirely up to you.
In a society where brands are head to head with each other in running the race and adamant on winning it, it can be difficult to keep up sometimes especially if you are one of the new brands reaching out its feeler to see where the action is, and have no idea about how, if you follow a few crucial things, you will stay afloat. According to a Nielson survey, 59% of consumers would rather buy new products from the brands that they are already familiar with, than try out new ones.
But let this not dismay you, because even if you are a small business that’s competing with other big businesses and their loyal customers, not to mention their BIG budgets. There are ways to beat the competition and if not, be on par with them. With a few tricks of the trade, you will be winning the race very soon and below we have included 5 tips that you can take home to get that ball rolling. Whether you are a start-up or have been in business for decades, it’s all the same to us, a brand can never be successful enough.
Let’s look at a few things you can do to build a successful brand that everyone wants to know about.
- Is There a Purpose Behind Your Brand? Ask your self this fundamental question before starting anything. If your brand does not have a purpose, that’s one thing that can easily be remedied. But if its purpose does not add value to its customers, then we have a problem.
The answer to this question is very crucial, it is what will build your foundation and from it, you can branch-off to creating your logo, tagline, slogan, merchandise, advertisements, and visuals to name a few. Getting this right is important. The answer comes from getting to the bottom of these 3 things – What, How, and Why. And once you know clearly what those three are, you will be closer to finding the purpose of your brand.
Several famous and successful life-coaches and businessmen have given valuable advice through their own experiences, one such personality is Simon Sinek, who teaches his students or listeners, that customers don’t buy what you do, rather they buy why you do it and ultimately believe in the ‘why’ of your product, which is why they are loyal.
- Do You Know Who You Are Selling To? This question is possibly one of the most underestimated characteristics of any business or service. The simple truth is that, if you do not research your audience very carefully, you will fall short. Ask yourself who you’re trying to reach with your brand. Is it the middle-aged women who run beauty salons across town or is it the 18 year old teenagers who love fashion and makeup? Perhaps its high-end lawyers? Or maybe private dentists?
No matter what size your business is intended to become, starting small and targeting the right audience will make all the difference. Do enough research and create a buyer persona to get things moving, do A/B Testing to see what messages work and which ones don’t, and come to it with all angles. A professor from Harvard business school once stated that “almost 30,000 new consumer products are being launched, out of which an estimated 80% of them have already or will fail”. Learn how to create your buyer persona with some information online.
- Consistency Is Key: In all your endeavors in life, consistency is the key to seeing any result. In business, it is the same. Keep on keeping on and don’t give up. PR, marketing and advertising are some of the branches of your business that need to stay consistent and even moving, the minute you stop, you risk losing potential business. Find the right people to help you out and keep them forever!
The last two are self-explanatory:
- Keep People First on the List: You’re doing it for the consumers so they should come first.
- Seek Help When Your Chips Are Down: Get Help! It’s simple. When you need help don’t be afraid to ask.
