6 Steps to Start Branding Your Business

Your brand is your customer’s overall perception of your business, and it’s much more than a great logo or a well-placed advertisement. Meaningful branding can drive exceptional results. To do that, you have to develop your brand in a way that is authentic, emotionally connected, and strategic. The team at Front Porch Solutions has put together these steps to start branding your business.

How To Start Branding Your Business

To be successful, branding has to be consistent in its message and experience across multiple channels. Your office space, web presence, packaging, and customer service are all a part of your buyer’s perception of your brand. These steps will get you started.

  1. Figure Out Who Your Customers Are

    To start, figure out who your ideal buyer is. You can’t be everyone to everything, so be specific. Consider factors like age, occupation, goals, challenges, and how they consume information. You’ll use these qualities to build buyer personas; semi-fictional “characters” that embody the traits of the people you’re trying to reach. Personas humanize your audience and let you focus on the wants, needs, and qualities of your ideal buyer. They also have an impact on how your buyers perceive you. In fact, 79 percent of buyers say they only consider brands that show that they understand and care about them as a consumer. Understanding who your buyer is is the first step in building a relationship with them.

  2. Develop Your Brand Identity

    With your personas defined, it’s time to figure out who your business is. Not unlike persona building, you need to determine the beliefs, values, and purpose that drive your business. Plus, this step will help you determine the voice of your brand – which is the tone you use in your communication and copy.

    Think about the personality you want to convey of your brand. Are you personable and friendly, or more corporate and professional? Accessible to everyone, or exclusive? The voice that you choose to use has a significant impact, particularly on your buyer’s impression of your trustworthiness.

  3. Put Your Blinders On

    A word of wisdom, while it can be tempting to look at your competitors when developing your identity, make sure that you aren’t just copying their approach. You want to set your brand apart from the rest. Instead, see what those businesses are missing, and try not to fall into the comparison game too much.

  4. Work on First Impressions

    Now that you have a clear picture of your buyers, your brand identity, and your competitors – you have to consolidate it. Narrow down your brand identity to one or two sentences that sum up who you are, what you offer, and (most importantly) why you do it. Effective branding is both recognizable and memorable. Part of that is being concise.

  5. Define Your Visual Branding

    When most people think about branding, this is the part that comes to mind. Your logo, font choice, color palette, and imagery go a long way in communicating who you are before people have even begun to read your content. It’s crucial that your visual presence is easily recognizable, follows clear guidelines, and communicates the same overall message that you want to convey with your content. If visuals aren’t your strong suit, it’s best to enlist the help of a professional designer on this aspect.

  6. Create Content, Consistently

    Finally, it’s time to start generating content. Social media and blogs are two of the most accessible marketing tools when first starting. Try to figure out where your buyers spend the majority of their online time. Pew Research Center’s Demographics of Social Media Users report can help you determine the most likely platforms your buyers are on. Use your expertise to start giving your buyers helpful and informative content. Keep in mind that you can recycle blog for your social efforts. Plus, blogs can do wonders for boosting your SEO.

Of course, these are only a few of the ways to start branding your business. If you’re not sure where to start, the Front Porch Solutions team will help you take your branding to the next level! Contact us today to discuss how we can help you create a successful plan for your business.

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