You’ve been in business for a while, your brand is all set, you like where you are – so where do you go from here? You obviously can’t sit back and do nothing and expect your business to take off. Even if you have the most amazing brand strategy in the whole world (we give away free puppies with everything!), people aren’t just going to come flocking to you. You need to make your audience aware. They need to understand who you are, what you do, and why they need you. You need to commit to moving your brand forward and here is how to do it.
Consider Your Brand Name
This is one of the most basic components of your branding, but it’s SO important. Sometimes, when people are just starting out in business, they choose a name that they think is great … but it doesn’t really end up working in the long run. If you think you might want to change your name at some point, it’s better to do it sooner rather than later. Especially consider this if you plan on expanding in the future – not all names will translate well in foreign markets!
Invest In a Professional Logo
Business owners are often hesitant to invest in branding services due to the potentially high cost, but it’s an expense that is worth it! Your logo is almost as important as your brand name, and your audience will see it just as often. It should be displayed everywhere you have a presence, and people should come to recognize it as uniquely belonging to you. Create a logo that evokes all of the wonderful feelings you want your audience to feel, and then pay to have it done right!
Come Up With a Marketing Plan
Your plan should distinctly keep your branding statement in mind. Consider your brand image, what your company stands for, and how you’d like to interact with your target audience. If you’re going to compete in the marketplace, you have to stand out from the rest of the competition!
• Create a great website. While this could be a part of your marketing plan as a whole, it really does deserve its own bullet point. Here’s why: the very act of creating a website makes you seriously think about your brand image (what you want to say, the type of wording to use, how to categorize your services, etc.). It’s the place everyone is going to go to find out about you, so it should be amazing!
• Social media marketing. Today, you can’t own a business and not be on social media. People look for you there, and they don’t really trust a company that they can’t find on social networks. Having a consistent, recognizable social media presence is a great way to put your brand out there and really convey your message.
Moving your brand forward will take consistent thought and effort, but it will be worth it when the business starts rolling in!