No-Holds-Barred Branding Tips for New Business Owners
Starting a new business can definitely be stressful, so it is understandable when entrepreneurs seek out support that confirms their ideas and goals. For example, aspiring start-up owners may run everything past uber-excited friends and family, who will assure them that all of their plans are terrific and bound to succeed.
While having a supportive group of people behind you when starting a new business is terrific, you also don’t want a bunch of ‘yes men’ who blindly accept all of your ideas as gospel truth.
With that in mind, let’s turn the tables a bit and look at some brutally honest tips related to branding that examine some common mistakes and how to avoid doing them in the first place:
Error #1: Having a Lame Logo
You may be so focused on your products and services that designing a business logo has fallen by the wayside. Or maybe you have several logo design ideas, but don’t know how to put them into place. Your company’s visual identity is the first impression that you make on potential customers, so having a timeless and memorable logo is crucial. Use a tool such as FlashMarks to design a logo that visually represents the company image you’re trying to create.
Error #2: Focusing Too Much on the Product and Not the Brand
Many new business owners are so excited about their product offerings that they forget that branding is as important, if not more so, than what they want to sell. This common mistake is quite understandable, rarely entrepreneurs often think about their product or service as their and are eager to start selling it. What is important to understand is that behind every successful product is a brand that inspires emotions and attitudes about the company.
Take Coca-Cola for example. The beverage is much more than a tasty soda to have with lunch; the company’s iconic logo is instantly recognizable and their current Taste the Feeling campaign makes everyone feel like they are part of one big happy family, all enjoying the same beverage. After all of the time and energy you have spent on product development, you are definitely ready to get the show on the road and start marketing, but you still have to love your brand as much as your product and create an attitude or emotion that helps identify your company.
Error #3: Trying to Please Everyone
Yes, it may seem counter intuitive to focus on a specific niche of customers and risk turning away potential sales. But new business owners must accept the notion that they cannot be everything to everyone nor would they want to be. Instead of trying to make everyone happy with your product, be honest with yourself about your target audience and focus your branding on these consumers.
Timeless Branding Can Be Yours
As you get your new company off the ground, by all means keep the enthusiastic friends close by for support. At the same time, look for some mentors and other business owners who can offer honest feedback and branding advice that can really make your start-up stand out from the competition. By creating a memorable logo, deciding what your brand wants to convey, and tuning into your target audience, you will be well on your way to having a well-branded and successful company.
Photo Credit: Provided by Social Monsters with permission to use.