Creating a unique business brand is something every business, small or big, strives for. Competition is all around you, and it doesn’t matter if you are a small beauty salon or a company producing paint, you want to create a name that will proudly stand on your business card, so that people will remember it, and distinguish it from all other, similar companies. Something also important to note is that products come and go, they might change over time, and services might not be available after a certain time, but brands outlive everything. If a brand is strong enough, people will connect it with quality, trustworthiness and experience.
This is why investing into creating a brand is something extremely important and valuable. Here is a list of things that you, as a business owner, should work on and try to improve if you want to be able to have a successful business model.
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Name
Choosing the name of your business is probably one of the hardest things at the beginning. You want something that is unique, yet easy to remember. Something silly as “Coca-Cola” is now a world brand, and this only gives you open choice in choosing your own name. If you think that “Shorau” is a stupid name now, wait until it becomes a popular product, and becomes even an official part of the dictionary. Just make sure that the name isn’t already trademarked, and that it does not mean anything strange in other languages.
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Colors
Colors are also something that can extremely influence the decisions of customers. While red and yellow remind us of nice and tasty food (McDonalds), blue is more relaxing, friendly and interesting (Facebook). On the other hand, some neon colors imply something that is daring, different, directed towards young people. You want to remain consistent and you want to convey your idea through every aspect of your business, from packaging to your commercials and billboards, you need to choose a single theme, and stick to it.
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Quality
It doesn’t matter what you are selling, you always want people to connect your brand with a high quality product or service. This requires a bit more investment, especially when you are starting your business, but it will pay off in the long run. If you want to sell a high-quality product, be sure to explain, although subtly, why is your product expensive. Those two are related, but you need to explain this to your buyers. On the other hand, if you are selling something cheap, be sure to give a reason why, people will respect that.
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Approach
You need to decide your whole approach to customers, and how you do your business overall. Are you a green company, using only biodegradable products? Advertise that particular aspect. Another important thing is how you want your customers to feel? Are you running a serious business, or a family joint? This must be depicted in everything, from your colors, to the uniforms your staff is wearing. It all creates a psychological image in the heads of your buyers, and you need to adjust that to your target audience.
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Logo
The brand alone is nothing without a good and memorable logo. Like a slogan, a logo stays imprinted in our minds and that is why you should use something that is, as always, unique but recognizable, or you can even try exploring 3D logos. Of course, you should hire professionals if you are having troubles along the way, as all of these solutions are not easy to come by alone. Be sure to use your logo on all your promo material, ads, even online, and especially on your website.
The competition is strong, and in this day and age, it is probably going to get even tougher, as you are not only competing on your local level – everything is now valued globally. The consumers buy brands and they will continue to, due to the psychological effect it leaves on people, and they are even willing to give more money, for the same product, if they have a nice experience, or they trust a particular brand. Use this to your advantage. If you advertise properly, and make a strong, unique brand, your success will surely follow.