The first branding mistake that many businesses make is presuming that branding is only required for larger businesses, rather than businesses of all shapes and sizes. The fact is that every business, regardless of its size and age requires branding to succeed. You could have the most incredible business idea in the world, but without adequate branding, the chances are it would fail.
What is branding? Branding is what makes your business unique. A company’s branding says a lot about a business, from its ethos to who its main customer base is. Branding is all about marketing, it’s about creating a business that has a large appeal to it, a business that pulls in all the right people.
Take McDonald’s as an example, within their company they have mini brands, such as the McDonald’s kids range which is specifically marketed and branded to appeal to kids and parents alike, that’s why those ‘what’s actually in McDonald’s adverts’ are so clever as they’re designed to reach both parents and children.
In addition to their kid’s range branding, McDonald’s also have their original range aimed at everyone and their ‘Signature’ range which is designed to offer a more upper class experience. The branding is smart; it’s sleeker and more sophisticated looking, and is designed to appeal to a different type of customer base.
Branding can make or break a business, which is why when it comes to your business’s branding, you don’t want to make any mistakes. Bearing that in mind, below is a guide to business branding failures that you should avoid.
Thinking that your logos are the most essential factor
It’s natural to spend hours or even days thinking about your brand’s logo, attempting to get it perfect. However, what it’s important to understand is that while your business’s logo is a key part of its branding, it’s not the most vital element. Spend a good amount of time coming up with ideas but don’t focus primarily on that – if you’re confused about how to design the perfect logo, speak to a professional logo designer.
What it’s important to understand is that while a professionally designed logo is an important part of your business’s branding, and will play a key part in its branding materials, it’s not the main event, as such. The important things are shop signs, business cards, leaflets, your website, and of course, your social channels. Your logo matters but it’s not the only thing that does, so don’t waste too much time on it.
Failing to take online branding seriously
The internet is a key part of the business industry today, which is why your online branding should always be taken seriously. You need to take this seriously from the get-go, otherwise you are going to struggle to make a success of your business. Your website is, most probably, the first thing that any potential customers and business contacts will see in relation to your business, so investing in it is vital. After all, first impressions really matter when it comes to branding, and your website should be the center of your business’s branding.
Your website and social channels will be the center of your business’s online branding, hence why they are such a key element. If you aren’t sure how to effectively utilize online branding, it is worth outsourcing the task to a specialist in the field who is able to help you utilize this vital tool. If you are going to use digital marketing, then you need to use it effectively, otherwise, you will render it useless, hence why getting expert help is so essential.
Designing your website yourself
Talking about your business’s website, don’t make the mistake that far too many business owners make and attempt to design their own website on the cheap. The fact is that while there are various online templates for creating a simple website quickly and cheaply, that’s not what you want for your business. If you want to build a business that will attract the right clientel and stand the test of time, you need to be willing to invest in your website.
Unless you are a web design pro, it’s best to outsource the task to a specialist who can design a website that’s not only properly branded up but is also designed to be user-friendly. Think easy to navigate and use, stylishly designed, and properly optimized for SEO.
Not adding a blog to your website
Blogging is a key element in modern marketing, which is why you don’t want to make the mistake of not adding a blog to your website. Having a blog could help your business on multiple levels, as blogs have such an amazing amount of potential, if they are interesting and well-written, that is. You will find that having a blog on your website will not only aid your digital marketing and online branding, but will also boost your website’s rank in search engines.
Of course, having a blog will also help you to build a strong customer base because a blog helps to make building relationships with customers easier. The fact is a blog positions you and your business as experts in your field and gives you interesting content to share in your digital marketing, further improving your business’s success and how effective its branding is when it comes to building consumer relationships.
When it comes to branding, every business of every size needs to take branding seriously. Hopefully, the tips above will help you to get started with your business’s branding and will ensure that you don’t make the mistakes that far too many business owners make.
