Entrepreneurship is hard work. It takes time and effort to build a successful business and brand. However, in my experience as a brand consultant, I have observed several branding mistakes that hinder brand growth which makes the journey harder than it needs to be. This blog post will help you identify some branding mistakes you’re probably making and will share tips on how to avoid them in the future.
Let’s first define branding.
Branding is intentionally, actively, and continuously framing your business to influence your audience’s perception of it.
Branding is so much more than the creation of a visual identity. It is the decisions you make to present your business favourably and drive your audience to action.
BRANDING MISTAKE 1- Not looking at the entire picture i.e. ‘the mother of all branding mistakes’.
Many entrepreneurs don’t consider all the interconnected elements when building a brand. Therefore, they tend to emphasise selected parts of their branding ecosystem. It is evident when a business has a killer social media presence but a disappointing website or vice versa. They may focus on creating a valuable product or service, but it is a hidden gem. Their brand messaging may tackle all the right pain points to get customers through the door, but their customer service is sorely lacking. You get the drift.
Building a brand means looking at the entire picture. Think about the ideal perception you want your customers to have when they encounter your business at each touch point. How can you create a cohesive experience that considers
- Your business- how can you leverage your resources to support brand building?
- Your customers- how can you use your understanding of your customers to create branded experiences?
- Your competitors- how can you stand out from the crowd to become your customers’ best and only choice?
BRANDING MISTAKE 2- Trying to cater to everyone.
Not having a clearly defined target market is another branding mistake I see entrepreneurs make. You simply cannot and will not appeal to everyone, so why bother to try? Your goal as an entrepreneur should be to build a loyal community of like-minded people who share your values and champion your brand.
When you fail to define your target market clearly:
- You cannot focus on solving a specific problem or need.
- You cannot position yourself as the facilitator of a transformation.
- You cannot create content that truly resonates.
- You cannot create a compelling visual identity.
- You cannot create content that stirs their emotions.
- You cannot improve your products or services.
So, target the right audience and avoid this from happening. Consider asking yourself these questions when defining your target market:
- Where are they located?
- What is their age?
- How much do they earn?
- What are their needs or pain points?
- What are their interests?
- What motivates them in life?
- What influences their choices?
- What keeps them up at night?
- What value do they seek?
BRANDING MISTAKE 3- Not having an aligned brand strategy.
Brand strategy determines how you will leverage your business resources to guide customers to the desired perception of your business. Your brand strategy helps you to understand who you are and acts as a blueprint to help you communicate the authentic essence of your business.
When you don’t have a brand strategy:
- You would not understand your purpose, vision, mission, or values, so you make marketing and business decisions that aren’t aligned.
- You can’t clearly articulate your brand’s positioning and cannot carve out a place in the market.
- You don’t have cohesive brand messaging, so your content tends to be inconsistent or contradictory. As a result, you do not attract people who share your values (customers, employees, etc.).
- You cannot create an impactful marketing plan, but you hope that winging your marketing will bring results.
A lack of brand strategy causes a plethora of other branding mistakes.
To create your brand strategy, start by asking yourself these questions:
- Who are you?
- Why are you in business?
- Who do you serve?
- How will you help them?
- Why should they care?
- What makes you different?
- What do you stand for?
- What’s your personality?
- What should people feel when they encounter your business?
BRANDING MISTAKE 4- Not differentiating yourself.
To succeed in branding, you must share with your audience why your brand is transformative and different from others. You have to let them know your Unique Selling Proposition. You do not want to build a ‘me-too’ brand. You do not want to seem interchangeable to your ideal buyers. Differentiation is the cornerstone of branding. Too many entrepreneurs are trying to become clones of someone else.
What is your differentiator?
- Do you have specialised skills?
- Do you have an in-depth understanding of a problem in your niche?
- Are you an ace at storytelling?
- Can you offer an elevated buying experience?
- Can you captivate your target audience with your visual identity?
- Do you have a unique ability to appeal to your ideal buyers’ emotions?
- Do you take your clients through a signature process?
Be clear about the magic you bring to the table.
BRANDING MISTAKE 5- Relying on the value of your actual product/service.
Hoping the value of your work/product/service will speak for itself is a mistake. You can have an excellent product or service that no one knows. Why? Because you haven’t built a brand around its value.
You cannot expect the value of the actual product or service to frame your buyers’ perceived value. The entire branding ecosystem is the value. Your product or service delivery is the value.
Customer experience is where your brand comes alive. Customer service is the delivery of your promise and value to your buyers.
To keep your promise to your customers, you should go one step further. It should be a branded experience throughout all stages of the customer journey. Therefore, the experience should be distinct and memorable and, if done correctly, will be a source of competitive advantage.
Creating a branded customer experience requires a clear understanding of your business and customers. You have to understand how your brand elements influence their overall experience.
Think about the strategies you implement to elevate your brand in their minds. Think about the customer journey. How can you enhance their experience in each step? How can you improve your sales process and product fulfilment? Does your packaging reflect your brand promise?
Avoid these branding mistakes.
In conclusion, building a brand your customers adore is no easy feat. There will always be obstacles along the way. But when you make these branding mistakes, it makes your journey even more challenging.
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