Over the years, you might have been wondering what strategies did the leading companies in the world such as Apple Inc, Google Inc, Facebook Inc, Dangote Plc, Samsung, Nokai, Shell, Chevron and many others successful companies used to build a successful brand.
In this post you will be guide on a journey with simple steps on how to create a brand for your company.
Branding, is simply means , ” the marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products.’ (according to Entrepreneur.com).
But what else is branding? Branding differentiates you from your competitors. Branding is how you want your audience and everyone else to view your company. Branding is what your audience can expect from your services or products.
Here are 5 Simple Steps to Create a Brand
1. Define your brand
Before you create your brand you must first define your brand. Clearly define the following to focus your brand:
Company mission statement.
Characteristics of your company.
Characteristics you would like your company to have.
Who is our target audience?
What are our company goals?
2. Create the Logo and Color Scheme
Color:
First let’s talk color schemes. Though this may not seem like a super important decision for your brand; let me assure you that it is. Why? The human mind is extremely responsive to visual stimuli, which most of us already know. However, colors play a major contributor in this response, which you may or may not have known.
Each and every color will affect your brand differently as there are underlying messages behind each. The shade and tone of your color will affect your brand as well.
Meanings associated with differing colors:
Pink: Feminine, Love, Tranquil
Red: Power, Passion
Orange: Health, Energy, Warmth, Excitement
Green: Nature, Soothing, Money
Blue: Peace, Loyal, Clean, Trust
Purple: Magic, Creativity, Royalty
White: Purity, Cleanliness, Simplicity
Black: Power, Sophistication
Brown: Rural, Outdoors, Masculine
The Logo:
You need to take ample time when creating your logo, with a professional logo designer. Your company’s logo is a crucial piece in creating an effective brand. Think of your logo as your company’s identity. Your logo is what your audience will learn to associate with your company and its services or products.
When creating your logo, think long-term. A good question to ask yourself is, ‘what logo would I like to see my company have in 10 years?’. Then you are one step closer to creating a timeless logo.
You also want to determine how you are going to use your logo. Are you going to use it online, on billboards, stationary, vehicles, etc? You want to create a logo that is adaptable to each and every possible way you plan to use it.
3. Create a Tagline
What is a tagline? Simply put, a tagline is a unique phrase that links your name to your brand.
Taglines are tricky to come up with and more work has to be done that one might think. However, don’t get so focused on creating the perfect tagline that your hands start sweating, your temple vein starts pulsing at an alarming rate and you just can’t think or enjoy the process!
Do this instead… Instead of focusing on what your product or service is that your brand represents, focus instead on the benefits of your services or products. This is what your tagline should ‘say’ to your audience.
Examples of great taglines:
Nike: “Just do it.”
LG: “Life’s Good”
Apple: “Think Different”
MTN: “Everywhere you go”
McDonalds: “I’m lovin it.”
GLO: “Rule your world”
GTbank: “Wouldn’t you rather bank with us?”
4. Integrate the ‘Brand’
Your brand is now ready to be integrated into every aspect of your company. Small businesses have a leg up in this area, because with fewer employees comes the opportunity of being more personable with your audience.
Proper training of your staff will ensure that everyone is on the same page with the brand. Why is this important?Using a cleaning service business as an example; If the business is trying to portray their brand as being ‘professional’ and ‘clean’, then an employee who is wearing ‘dirty’ or ‘inappropriate’ clothing will confuse your audience. Proper training of your employees will considerably help with any of these issues.
5. Be Consistent and Authentic
Lastly, but very importantly, make sure every communication you send out in regards to your company is consistent and in line with the brand you have created. A confusing brand will deter rather than attract your audience.
Conclusion: Branding is an essential part of creating a successful small business. Follow the steps above to create a brand that envelops the essence of your company and reap the rewards that come along with it.
This post was written by Habeeb Sanni and it was first published on Digital AD Planet.