Dos and Don’ts of branding

A strong brand presence is extremely important, but a strong brand presence is something that is built and grown, it is the result of strategic planning as well as execution.

The decision to putting in the effort and building a powerful and effective brand helps a great deal when it comes to success, awareness, and perception (among many other things)

It is important to note here that a brand is essentially how your product or service is perceived out in the world. It is considered to be the face of your business and also communicate to your audiences. The importance of branding is a great one.

Putting in place certain guidelines that would portray consistency in branding is always an advantageous thing that is to be paid attention to earnestly.

Here is a list that illustrates both the do’s and don’ts of branding:

The do’s of branding:

• Invest some time and indulge in research Effective branding demands you to have a thorough understanding of your audience,  the industry you are a part of, your competitors, and your value proposition. In order to ascertain this and communicate this effectively to your audience, and in order to do so a lot of research is required. The more aware you are, the more advantageous it will prove to be.

• Hire a professional if you are unsure Branding does require a lot of effort and expertise that you might not have, it is best to outsource this and hire a reliable branding expert. This might be an expensive process but it should be viewed as a business investment. (Make sure to hire a brand manager who prioritizes the same things and understands what exactly your brand needs).

• Make sure to maintain consistency There is a myriad of brands in today’s world that have the same functionality. It is in the brand’s best interest to maintain as much consistency as possible.  This instills a sense of reliability in your target audience. Inconsistent brands are perceived as extremely unprofessional as well as scattered. Moreover, a lack of consistency leads to your target audience getting confused, this also makes your brand less identifiable. Consistency is always key and is a nonnegotiable aspect when it comes to good brand building. (An example of consistent brand building is Nike).

• Be patient There is an old saying that goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, and it really wasn’t. Building a good brand is the result of labor, effort, and time. It is imperative that you be patient and not hasty during the process. All good things take time.

The don’ts of branding

• ot keep your employees uninvolved Brand building is a team effort and requires and only works best when everyone on the team is involved or at least aware of it. It is best if you keep your employees informed, and are aware of the overarching goals and the intentions of the brand. Your employees are definitely an imperative part of the success of your brand.

• Try not to be fazed by the competition This is easier said than done considering the many options that your consumers have, but no good comes from being overly observant or involved with your competitor’s way of operation. It is best to utilize that time and effort to better your product rather than evaluate external entities. Moreover positioning your brand based on competition will deplete your authenticity. This step requires you to strike a balance between observing the market and staying true to yourself.

• Refrain from making claims you can not live up to What every brand needs is an accurate representation. Portraying to be something you are not or making promises you cannot deliver will only be detrimental and hurt your brand. This will affect your credibility significantly and will create confusion among your audience as well as prospective clients. The way to move forward, especially when you have the goal of longevity is to be authentic.

• Curb your expectations Brand building is an extremely exhaustive process that comes with a lot of grinds, it is advisable to refrain from expectations in the early stages, do your best, and wait for it to come to fruition

Some companies that have shown to have excelled at brand building are:

• Nike
• Apple
• JP Morgan and Chase
• Bosch
• Netflix

Some companies that have shown poor brand building are:

• United Airlines
• Monsanto
• Facebook
• The Trump Organization
• Vice Media
• Wells Fargo