Editor’s Note: Here at Dispatches, we are always looking for ways to help our readers do things. For some of our readers, that means helping navigate the working world, for others, it means assisting in the ever challenging question,“what’s for dinner?” For still others, it means figuring out how to balance family life with everything else. In an effort to aid in all of these endeavors, we have collaborated on this article written specifically for our readers.
Every business, no matter how small, has a selling point. It’s what makes it unique and helps it stand out amongst its competitors. Although some businesses are better at presenting their brand to the world, don’t let that put you off. Having a strong identity can be a great way of promoting yourself and spreading the word about your product and building that reputation doesn’t have to be difficult.
Find your identity
Finding your identity is a great place to start. Think about what you’re selling and what you are trying to present to the world. Think about why you started your business. Does your product or service fulfill a need? Is your product or service a solution to a problem? What’s one word that describes your business best? For example, if you believe the best way to describe your brand is “quirky’” go with it and try to convey it through your actions and how you speak to potential clients and customers. You can do so on your social media or through a digital marketing campaign. Either way, always keep your brand in mind.
Ignore the competition
Although it’s perfectly normal to be inspired by other brands, try not to rely too heavily on mimicking what others are doing. Part of finding your own identity is embracing it and turning it into a selling point. Focus on building your own brand and don’t be afraid to be original.
Brand Consistency
Once you have built up your brand, you’ll want to shift your attention to brand consistency. Having a strong brand is one thing, but maintaining it and being consistent is the next challenge. You want people to recognize you and your brand. Consumers are attracted to consistency because they like things that feel familiar.
Rebranding
Changing your image can often be beneficial, but when it comes to rebranding it’s not an easy task. Although sometimes it might be necessary to reinvent yourself, it’s important that you do so while taking extra care. Make sure that your brand remains recognizable and your rebrand doesn’t undo all the hard work you out into branding in the first place.
If you don’t feel your brand is strong enough, don’t worry as it can be improved. Keep pushing your image forward and reinforcing the ideas that you want to convey and you’ll do great. Don’t worry if it takes your business a while to take off the ground. It takes time but the effort you put it will be worth the final results.