It’s time to get your ducks in a row
Real talk: times are tough. I’m not here to sugar coat it! Challenges are coming at us from all angles right now. We’re emerging from lockdown into an unknown, we’re moving our lives and businesses online, we’re trying to stay safe and we’re bombarded every day with more and more news that is a struggle to process. How do you make your business seen and heard by the right people? How do you ensure you stay relevant? Well, it comes down to your brand. And before you tell me you aren’t a ‘brand’, you’re just a ‘business’, just give me 5 minutes and then tell me what you think!
What is a brand anyway?
Your brand is a collection of things that convey your personality and influence your audience’s perception of your business, either positively or negatively. It encompasses things such as:
your logo, the colours and fonts you use and your imagery, which are some of the things that make up your visual identity
how you portray yourself as a person and a business through the way you speak and your written content
the values and culture of your business
the experience your customers or clients have when they buy from you or work with you
How do I create a brand?
Well, the good news is, you already have one! The core of your brand is you, because your business was conceived inside your brain. All you need to start thinking like a brand is to define and document what your business is about and what you stand for. The truth is: you will never be able to scale successfully until you have thought bigger and wider than yourself. Imagine where your business could be in 10 years time? If you had a team of 20 people working for you across the globe, what sort of information would they need in to provide your clients or customers with a consistently unforgettable experience?
Time to get your big girl/boy pants on
The first thing on your list is to figure out whether your current branding matches up with who you’re talking to, what you offer and what you’re really about as a business. Do you have a clear vision of where you want to head with your business in the next 5 years, or 10? Are you really clear on what sets your business apart and what your values and culture are about? Asking yourself the right big picture questions will help you clarify your brand strategy. Once you have a strategy, you can get a handle on where your brand is right now and what you need to be doing to have the brand you want in the future. Then you can crack on with some of the documentation you will need in order to scale e.g.
brand guidelines that set out your logo, how it can and cannot be used, your colour palette, your fonts and other visual devices
a tone of voice document which sets out the language and style of writing
a values document that sets out key values that underpin the culture of your business
What if I need to rebrand?
Don’t worry - this is a perfectly normal part of owning a business! As your business grows and scales, what you offer and who you offer it to will naturally evolve. After all, successful businesses are those that adapt to survive. A rebrand can help you align yourself with a different target market, or shift the focus on to different products or services, but it doesn’t have to be an arduous process. Sometimes, a subtle tweak to your logo, strapline or imagery bank can make all the difference. As always, please get in touch if you feel you might be feeling this way about your business. It’s crucial you get your brand strategy spot-on first. This ensures any time, effort or money you invest is well spent and the end result is a business and a brand you are really proud of. If you’d like to get your brand strategy back on track, just hit the button below and book your free 30 minute call.