Your brand image is one of the absolute most important assets your business has. A good, consistent image can inspire trust and loyalty in consumers; however, a mediocre one will rapidly translate into bad press and reduced sales. Here are a few things to keep in mind when developing your branding strategy:
Determine Your Image First
If you haven’t already jumped into running a business, then it’s crucial that you work on developing an effective brand image before you hang out your “OPEN” sign. Choose a small number of core virtues you want your company to be known for; the most common options are quality products and great customer service, and are certainly good choices for any business. Other great ideas include following eco-friendly business practices or only using fair trade goods.
When considering these options, it’s important to keep in mind that they’re all two-edged swords. If you advertise your humane treatment of all employees onshore and overseas, more people will be inclined to purchase your product, and they’ll feel good for buying it. But if it turns out that one of the companies you hired to produce your goods turns out to be a front for a sweatshop, it will require a huge PR effort to undo the damage to your image, as people will believe that you were always in on the real conditions. The public will associate your brand with hypocrisy for years to come unless you thoroughly convince them it wasn’t your fault. Before deciding on your image, make sure you’re prepared to carry it through in all aspects of your business.
Build Your Logo Around Your Image
This is one of the reasons why it’s important to determine your image first: your logo must reflect your desired image. A good graphic design company will be adept at creating artistic representations of the qualities you wish to display. Here lies another important thing to do: hire a good graphic design company. A logo is not something you should save money on; it’s something you should treat as a lifelong investment.
Think about Disney’s castle logo. The fantastic architecture, slightly cartoonish style, and curving, fanciful lettering all work together to create an image that one can instantly associate with incredible adventures and family-friendly fun. It’s just one more part of why Disney is such a successful company. Follow their lead and make sure that your logo works just as hard as you do.
Follow Through
Once you’ve started your company, it’s important to make sure that every aspect of your business sticks to your brand image. Work hard on both internal branding and public image. If your employees, logo, advertising, methods of operation and public statements all say the same thing, then there’s only one possible result: the world will associate you with it.
Make sure that you (or your marketing team) examine every possible detail. Your marketing merchandise and anything else you put your logo on count as part of your company. If you’re going for a relaxed, friendly image (something many customers will find very appealing), promotional products like stubby holders are a great choice. Those going for a sleek and highly professional look will get a good run from promotional USB drives. Whatever you choose, make sure it works with your image rather than against it!
Don’t Slack Off
Once you’ve established a brand image, it can be tempting to rest on your laurels and divert your efforts toward running your day-to-day operations. Don’t do this – it’s the fast track toward losing your hard-earned image. Keep reminding people who you are and what you do, and keep reinforcing your image even when it seems tedious and unnecessary. A company that can always maintain its identity will always stand out in a crowd of competitors.