5 Branding Mistakes to Avoid
There are so many things I wish I knew in the early stages of branding my business, that would have saved me a lot of time and money.
Your brand is defined by how people perceive your brand. It reflects your personality, values, and everything that makes up your brand. Branding is one of the most important parts of your business. Like any major business process, you have to manage it accordingly and care for it. Maintaining a strong and consistent brand is crucial to your success. Here are 5 branding mistakes to avoid at all cost.
1. Stop trying to please everyone
Great branding focuses on the specific target market they are serving. Instead of trying to please all people, great brands position themselves to please some people. When you focus all your efforts on your defined market segment, you’ll be able to reach and attract them in an extraordinary way because you are creating content tailored to their unique interests, goals, and behaviors.
2. Don’t launch your brand without a clear set of guidelines.
Brands that go public without a clear set of brand guidelines established often fail. Brand guidelines are an essential resource that will help you maintain consistency, stay focused, be more valuable, set standards, and help to make sure your brand is fully aligned with your customers’ goals.
3. Don’t Use Every Social Network
Be where your customers are. Determining where to focus your time and resources when it comes to social media is key to maximizing efficiency and profitable outcomes. For some companies, LinkedIn and Twitter may be the most beneficial. For others, it might be Instagram, Facebook, and other sites. So, how do you choose?
Start by searching for mentions of your brand on various social sites, or stalk your competitor’s activity to see where they are receiving the most engagement. Further, if you find that a social channel you’ve been putting a lot of time and effort into isn’t driving as high a level of engagement as others, cut ties and put more effort where it’s paying off.
4. Don’t DIY Your Logo
Your logo makes the difference between a strong and a weak first impression for your business. The biggest mistake new business owners make is not investing in a professional and unique logo mark. Unless you’re a design professional, you should think twice before you ‘DIY’ your logo or hand it off to a friend who doesn’t have a background in logo design. If you want a logo that stands out from the crowd, is memorable, and attracts the right people, I suggest you hire a professional designer who will take the time to understand your unique needs and ultimately bring your dream logo to life.
5. Don’t communicate without purpose!
Having a clear purpose is essential to your success. Everything your brand does should aim to achieve a specific outcome. Whether you're posting an image on social media, publishing a blog post, or sending out a press release, everything your brand does should always support your long-term vision and goals. If you feel like you have lost touch of your brand vision, it’s time you revisit or re-create your brand statements.
