Is your business brand identity memorable enough?

When thinking of your product or service what comes to mind? What do people envision? What characteristics do they attach to what you provide? And does it stand out from your competitors?

5 high-impact tips to creating a unique brand identity

When building a memorable business brand, these are important questions to consider; otherwise, you risk losing valuable business because your brand isn’t differentiated enough from others who are going after the same target audience as you.

Your brand should invoke an identity, an emotion, characteristics, and something that makes you, you. This is where that differentiation comes into play – tapping into and relaying your uniqueness.

Through brand marketing, we connect the consumer’s experiences and perceptions to your unique offerings. Your brand then becomes highlighted in their mind as they grow a connection to it and, ultimately, makes it much easier to convert them to loyal customers.

Many brands offer similar things and, therefore, can become muddled in their marketing, which translates to a muted brand in this ever-growing sea of services and commodities.

Never compare yourself to the competition but strive to be so unique that there is no comparison.

Honour Yourself

“Don’t wait for permission to be who you are” ~ Carol Tuttle

This quote is so true because who you are can get you far! Meaning, how you choose to define yourself, your brand identity and all the branding that supports it will determine your success.

Here’s where some work and investment come into play because you want to get it right from the beginning.

To ensure your best ROI (return on investment) to be the most cost effective and efficient with your budget, consult a brand expert right from the start to develop your unique brand identity and strategy fully.

Sadly, many small businesses or entrepreneurs just getting started try to go the more cost-effective route of attempting to do it themselves or paying a friend who “knows computers”, but often their efforts fall short and end up costing them more time and money in the long run. 

Not to mention lost sales due to their brand not resonating with their ideal target audience.

When working with a brand expert, you will have a clear idea of what makes your brand stand out to attract the right people who are happy to pay for your products or services.

You will also know how to apply your custom branding strategy for all your business marketing needs that includes your unique branding concepts, guidelines, logo, website, marketing materials, social media and print materials.

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READ: Why Cheap Websites Are More Expensive Than You Think

During one of my usual jaunts on Facebook, I came across a post where someone was making the argument to invest properly in a website, and they listed all the reasons to do so.

Heck, I could have written that post myself!

And as per usual, then came many responses that all pretty much said the same thing: “But what if I have no money?”

Keep reading to discover why your website may be under-performing.

Read more on our website.

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A brand with individuality has a unique competitive advantage

Think of your favourite current products or services. Why are they your favourite? What makes them different? Does something stand out?

For example, when we think of our favourite Boutique Inn or fitness center, it might be their logo, the range of services, their quality of product, the customer service, the people or the feeling you get from going there.

These things alone are important but together make your product or service unique!

Standing out can sometimes be thought of as a negative, but in branding it is the highest compliment.

Embracing what makes you different is what makes you stand out. When you are authentic you will exude a vibe that attracts your tribe of supporters and will boost you to be the best.

In order to stand out in today’s market, try these 5 tips:

1. Be authentic

• Try not to compete with other similar brands but instead focus on you and your product or service.
  • Before developing a logo and website, make sure you fully evaluate your product or service and identify all the things that make your business unique so your brand is  differentiated with your ideal target audience. It needs to resonate with them!
  • Integrate what makes you different into your branding, marketing, website, social media and physical space or product design.
    
    

2. Thrive in your vibe

• A vibe is a feeling that expresses your uniqueness. It’s your brand voice. By capturing that vibe and incorporating your brand’s unique voice in all of your marketing materials, you will create an undeniable synergy.
  • Maintain your vibe in all that you do, right down to your social media posts, and continually check to make sure that what you are conveying is the vibe your customer is experiencing.
  • Don’t compromise your vibe for the current trends; always ensure you stay true to your brand identity.
    
    

3. Connect with your target audience

• Now more than ever it’s important to not just provide a product or service, but create a community around it. This community of your ideal target audience and potential clients will become your tribe of loyal supporters.
  • Much like the TV show Survivor, your tribe can “vote you out” so it is important to foster those relationships and connect with your community in an authentic way.
  • Social Media presents an opportunity to grow your tribe and future loyal customers by engaging with them in new ways. On these platforms you can create groups, pages, stories, share photos and videos so they learn more about you while you also learn more about them. This information, connection and engagement is invaluable.
    
    

4. Strive to be the best

• Of course, you want to be the best product or service available but beyond that ask yourself how you can be better? Often thinking about how you can create a memorable brand experience can help elevate you to the next level.
  • Provide the highest quality of service, product, support, and customer care possible. It’s amazing how many brands fall short in these vital areas and lose a lot of business as a result. Here’s your chance to shine above them and win over these new customers!
  • Going above and beyond will automatically make you stand out. Your loyal customers will not only continue to buy from you, they will also refer you to others.

5. Be Empathetic

• Put yourself in your customers’ shoes to better serve them. Unlike sympathy, which is feeling compassion, empathy means imagining yourself in another person’s situation. The more your potential customers realize you “get” them and understand what they are going through, the more they will trust you to do business with.
  • Tap into your ideal client’s emotional triggers. What emotions drive your customers’ behaviour?
  • Listen to your customers. A 2018 study by M&C Saatchi reveals how 18% of consumers had stopped using a brand because of a broken promise. Are you following through with the quality and service that your customers deserve?
  • Remember and respect differences. People from different geographic locations, generations and genders aren’t all going to necessarily want the same thing from you. By developing unique marketing personas, you’ll have a much better idea of how to approach—and appeal to—your audience by offering them relevant services and content they will appreciate receiving from you.

While there are many other ways to stand out, these brand-building strategies will make the biggest impact.

Along with an expert, create a foundation by clearly differentiating your brand and building a memorable brand identity that you can apply to all that you do. Your uniqueness is something to harness and incorporate throughout your branding in order to capture your current and potential customers.

By being authentic, creating a vibe, connecting to your tribe and striving to be the best you undoubtedly will stand out in the sea of mediocrity.

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(Featured image by geralt via Pixabay)

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

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