How do you ensure effective branding in today’s world of message bombardment? Beyond offering quality and top-notch service, businesses that thrive also have branding that connects. While product, service, and retail brands all have something to offer, what sets them apart is how they communicate value.
Consider these criteria for effective branding:
Keep it simple
Effective branding is not complex or confusing. Express the brand purpose and values simply. Consumers do not take the time to decode messages or dig into what a company may be trying to say. Therefore, branding must present a coherent identity that easily translates to the audience’s lifestyle.
The Adair group is a family owned business founded on integrity and producing quality products. Most recognized for their online apparel business, the “A” in Adair features a hidden T-shirt which is meaningful to this original design.Make sure your brand has meaning
Effective branding connects with the audience in a meaningful way. Create an emotional connection that gives consumers a thoughtful understanding of the brand promise. Also, be cautious about how you use promotions. Make sure promotions reinforce the brand mission and avoid cheapening the brand’s position with price-slashing tactics. Be more than what is for sale.
Strive for originality
Authentic brands grab attention and create loyalty. Avoid similarity with competitors and tout the brand’s stand-alone value and promise. Furthermore, remain open to the changing needs of consumers regardless of what other brands are doing. Be honest in business-customer relationships.
litebite is a gourmet prepared food market that makes healthy eating convenient. The award-winning logo is simple and bright, featuring leaves and bite marks off the “e” that represent the healthy eating options of this growing company.Allow for depth
Incorporate every facet of business into the brand promise. The brand mission and tone should be understood and felt throughout every consumer touch point including signage, on-site experience, customer service, and social media personality. Also, advertising messaging should reinforce the unique value proposition while staying true to core values. If a brand were simply a logo and slogan, it would have no depth or consistency. Most of all, keep in mind that affixing the logo to everything does not equal branding.
This Entrepreneur article provides a few additional branding rules with big-brand examples. Small businesses often have the benefit of consumer trust and flexibility, which can lead to outstanding branding. For more related to small business branding, this UK firm shares some of their rules.
When you are ready to reach out to a firm for your branding campaign, our experienced id8 team will be ready to help.
