How to Define And Get The Word Out About Your Brand

Remember earlier this month when we revealed our infographic on designing a business logo? Are you still with us? Now that you’ve created the perfect logo for your company, what’s next? Defining your brand. Remember, the foundation of your brand is your logo. By using your logo as a starting point, establishing your brand is not the daunting task that it seems, it just takes time, patience and honesty. Start off by making an inventory of your skills and what you want your customers to remember most about your brand. From your list of skills, identify which pertains to the needs of a customer. Think through how your brand can fill these needs. Then, focus on what makes your company stand out from the pack. What sets you apart from others? Why should people chose you over the other guys? Answer these key questions and Voila! You’ve defined your brand.

Now that you’ve defined your brand, what’s next? Spread the word! Follow these simple steps to get the word out about your brand:

Get a great logo and put it everywhere. Yes, everywhere, We’re talking business cards, mailing envelopes, brochures, emails, Facebook page, etc. Tattoo it on your forehead and walk around town. (Just kidding on that last part)

Write down your brand messaging. Literally, take out a pen and paper and write it down for easy reference. Once you’ve scribbled out all your key messages you want to communicate about your brand, make it pretty and print it on a banner or poster and display it in your office for all to see.

Integrate your brand. Your brand image isn’t just for marketing materials – it’s for every aspect of your business. Factor in your messaging in how your employees answer phones and interact with clients and customers.

Create a “voice” for your company that reflects your brand. Create a voice “guide” that is distributed to each of your employees and includes traits of your company tone and voice. For example, do you consider your brand friendly? Adopt a conversational voice. Do you consider your brand classy? Adopt a more formal tone.

Develop a tag line. Capture the essence of your brand in a memorable, significant and concise statement. Be careful not to copy popular tag lines. People want to know your brand, not how well your brand can imitate others.

Design templates and create brand standards for your marketing materials. Along with your voice “guide”, create a comprehensive brand guide that talks about who you are, what you do, why you matter and what you promise. Along with that, include a style guide that includes instructions on usage of logos, colors and fonts.

Be true to your brand. Follow through with what you promise your customers. Keep the mentality that if they lose your promise, you lose your customer.

Above all, be consistent. Take all the above points seriously and your brand will have a huge impact on your customers.

Do you have any tips to add for entrepreneurs looking to establish their brand? Let us know in the comments below, leaving us a comment on Facebook, or tweeting us @123Print.