Imagine you’re picking up coffee for your boss. Do you swing by a gas station where you can get a bigger cup of coffee for a fraction of the cost – or do you wait in line at Starbucks?
Why do most people choose Starbucks? Branding.
Your brand is the heart and soul of your company. It differentiates you from your competition and influences audience perception. Unfortunately, many e-commerce entrepreneurs aren’t sure how to build a brand that attracts customers.
Building a brand is more than choosing a company name or logo. Branding is the most powerful marketing tool there is. So, whether you’re rebranding an existing business or launching a startup, it’s essential to create a brand that keeps people coming back.
This simple step-by-step guide will help you establish a successful brand.
What Exactly is a Brand?
Your brand is the face of your business. It’s the way your target country email list audience perceives you. It’s what entices people to buy from you – and then keeps them coming back purchase after purchase.
Your brand includes your logo, website design, and brand colors. But it’s also your mission statement, values, voice, and more. Branding is all about your reputation and what people say about your company.
10 Steps to Building Your Brand
1. Establish the Purpose of Your Brand
Besides turning a profit, why are you in business? Your answer needs to go beyond the products or services you’re providing.
You may have to dig deep to define your brand’s purpose. Then adding clickable elements to the animation you can put that purpose into a well-written mission statement. Your mission statement consists of ‘what you do,’ ‘how you do it,’ and ‘why you do it.’ The most crucial part of your mission statement is why your business exists. What separates your company from everyone else that’s doing the same thing?
2. Conduct Competitive Research
What differentiates your brand within your industry? After defining your purpose, it’s time to research your competitors and see what they’re doing. Identifying and researching your competition will help you discover which branding strategies work (and which ones don’t). Then you can create a more focused marketing plan to promote your business effectively.
Don’t follow the same branding strategies as other businesses. In saturated markets, consumers may already be loyal to an existing brand. Instead, find another niche and use a different approach.
3. Identify Your Target Audience
One of the most important aspects of branding is identifying your target audience. If you ignore this step, it will weaken the rest of your brand-building strategy.
Successful brands appeal to specific target markets. Think about what you’re selling and who will benefit from those products or services. Identifying your specific audience will also help you choose a brand design, voice, and the best marketing strategy to connect with potential customers.
4. Create a Personality and Voice for Your Brand
Once you’ve identified your target market, it’s time to create a mobile list brand personality and voice that speaks to your audience.
Do you want to be professional or funny? Is your brand formal or more casual?
You want your brand’s copy to have a consistent voice across all your marketing channels – from your website to blogs, social media posts, and ads – your brand’s voice and personality must connect with your target audience.
5. Tell Your Story
Your brand story includes the three steps we’ve already covered. Think of your brand story as the extended version of the ‘why’ in your mission statement. The explanation of why you’re in business should be expressed in your brand voice and appeal to your target audience.
A compelling story can motivate customers to support and respect your brand.
