Whether you’re a blogger, infopreneur, online coach, social media influencer, or even own a small shop on Etsy, branding for success is an essential part of your business. There's a lot to do when branding your business, and the kicker is, only half of it has anything to do with visuals. That’s right; your brand is more than a logo or a visual style that you become known for.
Every modern, successful online brand is made up of many essential parts for attracting others and potentially earning some sort of income while doing so. Building a brand takes dedication and hard work, but you can create a successful brand with the right know-how and plan.
What is a brand?
A brand is a design, symbol, or name that identifies your good or service from others. It helps people identify a product or company. It influences people's opinions of companies. For instance, Nike has branded itself as the go-to athletic attire. So, when you think about buying a new pair of shoes for working out, you probably consider Nike as a top option because its brand is known to be a high-quality product. Basically, your brand makes you stand out from the crowd!
5 Steps to start branding for success
Learning how to build a brand can be overwhelming. Use these 5 key steps to start branding for success!
1. Provide solutions to real problems
Every successful business solves a problem, and every successful brand does so as well. Think of your favorite fashion blogger or finance expert; they’re either inspiring you on topics that interest you or giving you the lowdown where you may need some guidance. To do this with your brand, make sure you’re addressing a problem that others are interested in or require help solving.
If people are already attracted to the content, you’re putting out there, figure out what real issues you can expand on and help readers with. Then, make sure to highlight that problem along with your solution in your blog posts, emails, webinars, content upgrades, and more.
2. Identify your target audience
Part of branding for success is identifying your target audience. Now that you know what problem you’re going to focus on solving, you need to know and understand exactly who you are solving it for. Start by asking yourself these questions:
- Who needs this problem to be solved the most?
- What kind of pain/stress do people with this particular problem have?
- What life circumstances might the readers have in common?
- Knowing all this, what would be the best way to solve their problem?
Figuring out your ideal niche audience also sets the tone for your visual identity. For example, if you realize your ideal audience is for a professional woman over 40, powder pink with flowers may not be the best way to go. Knowing your target audience is a HUGE part of what’s needed before you can even start to brand visually. Once you have an ideal audience figured out, it’s time to move onto the next step.
3. Branding for success with visual graphics
Now that you know the problem you'll be solving and who you will solve it for, you’re ready to create a visual brand that speaks to them. In case you haven’t caught the running theme yet, creating a successful brand has as much to do with who you’re trying to reach as it has to do with you, creatively and thoughtfully.
When it comes to creating visuals, I recommend creating a simple concept for inspiration. Start off by choosing 1-3 words that you would want your brand to be known for. Then, use those words as a jumping-off point for determining your brand colors and any visual elements you may want to be associated with your brand.
For example, if “empowering” is one of your words, a bold red or even deep purple may be a good way to go. Just try to stick to one main color and don’t go overboard. It’s also important to keep it simple and understated.
If you’re DIYing your logo, start by writing your brand name in a font that you like that is also easy to read. And don’t forget to keep your concept and ideal niche in mind! Again, women in their forties may not resonate with the same logos as 20-year-olds. Choosing the right visual graphics is key to successful branding.
4. Research competition brands
Believe it or not, part of branding for success means researching your competition. Checking out your competition can help you identify opportunities and enable you to create a brand that stands out! Doing a competitive analysis helps you understand your competitors' strengths and weaknesses in comparison to your own.
It can also assist you on how to price your products and services. For example, let's say you started a brand as a virtual assistant. You can research other companies that offer similar services so you can price accordingly. Getting informed about your competition is a big part of successful branding.
5. Create a professional website
I recommend a website for everyone because social media channels alone aren’t enough. Your social platforms should all point back to your website because that’s where they can learn more about you and even purchase what you and your brand have to offer. Your site is one of the only things in your business that you have complete control over, so be sure to take advantage of that opportunity! To do this, make sure you have a few key things in place:
- A homepage with at least one big takeaway action for viewers to do.
- An "about" page that is more about consumers and the brand than it is about you.
- Resources, blog posts, or products that showcase how you can best help them.
- A place for them to sign up and join your email list.
The bottom line is that you need a website to act as a home base for everything in your brand, not just for you but for others as well. A professional website is essential to successful branding.
Branding for success is easier with these steps
In the end, your brand is only partly made up of what people see; the rest all comes down to how you make people feel. Successful branding will help you build a thriving business and ensure you have happy repeat clients and customers. Learn more about building a successful brand and business with our new business owner course bundle - it's completely free!