You’ve started a business. You’re ready to grow it big and bring in profits. Yet all the advice tells you to develop a brand first. Should you trust the how-tos online? Or should you work with a brand-building agency? Where will you get your biggest bang for your buck?
There isn’t a right or wrong answer. It’s more about discovering which path is right for you. However, we will say that branding is more important than most people give it credit for. That’s because the strongest brands in the world have spent the time necessary to get to the core purpose and mission.
See, every business has a brand. The only question is: Have you taken the time to develop it, or is it being developed for you out in the marketplace? Because every brand has:
Elements you’ve purposely put in place
Elements that are built in unintentionally
Customer experiences that establish your true identity
The more you put in, the more control you’ll have as you grow. Yes, you can do this as a start-up or any time you need a reboot to your business. A brand-building agency shortens the curve and helps you get to the core of your message faster and better.
What Is Brand Building?
Your brand identity is how your audience perceives you. It’s the face of your business.
Without a well-defined brand identity, your audience may be confused about who you are and what you do. They can’t promote and refer to something when they aren’t sure of the core message.
Brand building is the process of developing that persona. It’s a conscious effort to develop how customers view you so they can easily distinguish your brand from your competition. It isn’t just a logo and visuals. It includes:
- Visual: Visual elements that represent your brand, such as colors and logos.
- Voice: The way your brand communicates your message.
- Values: What your company stands for.
- Personality: The energy of your brand.
- Message: All the above elements are incorporated into a core value statement you share with potential customers.
The clearer you get on brand identity, the more you inspire and motivate customers and visitors who find you and believe in what you do. This takes time. It takes brainstorming and action.
It Starts with a Brand Building Questionnaire
Branding sounds like a fun, creative process. It can be. But it’s more than that; it also includes getting to the nitty-gritty details of your business goals, so you know who you are and what you’re bringing to the world. The easiest way to do that is through a series of questions that help you get to the root of who you are as a business.
What Is Your Why?
Every business needs a purpose beyond making money. This is your why. It’s why you developed your product or service. It’s why you do what you do. Need insight into developing your why? Watch Simon Sinek’s fantastic TED talk on finding your why.
Your why motivates the choices you make as a company. It’s your guiding principle—something you come back to every time you move your business forward. Keep your “why” in mind with every decision you make.
Where Will You Be in 5 Years?
This is crucial to ensure you stay on track with everything you do. Without a long-term vision, it’s easy to be swayed by ideas that don’t necessarily match your core brand. Building with an eye on the future gives you a reason to think bigger while sticking to the core reasons you’re building your business.
We suggest thinking 5 years into the future, but you can easily look 10 or 15 years ahead as well. Start-ups may need more flexibility for change as they learn, while older companies going through brand refreshing may be well-versed in their core direction. Looking to the future gives all businesses a more global view of their place within their marketplace.
Who Is Your Competition, and How Are You Different?
When you’re the same as everyone else, customers will judge you on price alone. Brand identity gives people a reason to choose you.
The best place to start is to flush out your competition. This can be anyone who competes for the same customers as you. As you find them, analyze their strengths and weaknesses and think about why someone would choose them over you.
Then, come up with ways to turn that around: What can you do differently to add more value to your products and services? What will set you apart?
What Problems Will You Solve?
People don’t buy products and services; they buy solutions to their problems. Car buyers want transportation to and from work. Homeowners want value when it comes time to replace their water heaters and furnaces.
Yet it goes deeper than that—if not, consumers would never be interested in specific brands. Every “problem” may have dozens or even hundreds of solutions to choose from. It’s branding that sets solutions apart.
What’s Your Brand Story?
Every brand has a story. It’s what motivated you to start the business and the setbacks you overcame to be where you are today. It’s what drives you to do what you do. And how you choose to interact with everyone around you.
A story is your chance to humanize your brand. It’s about developing the personality you choose to share with the world. Stories are what give people a reason to relate to a brand, find connections, and share experiences.
Thanks to the online world, your story will continue to grow, morph, and change as you move through each day. That’s what you share on your social media accounts. It’s what builds rapport with your audience.
That’s also why so many businesses choose to work with a brand-building agency to dig deep and find their core message. It’s more than colors and visuals; it’s about finding your connection to your audience.
Want help doing all that?
