Branding is crucial to any company, but none more so than startups. This blog will walk you through the basics of business branding for startups and how to build a powerful startup brand for better revenue.
Startup branding is like going on a first date. You strive to make the best first impression, starting with what you wear. But, the shirt or shoes alone won’t get the job done; you need something else as well, whether it’s friendliness, good manners, or a nice smile to help you make a lasting impression, right?
Similarly, your startup logo is only as good as the shirt you decided to wear. You need various other things, such as identity, image, positioning, persona, voice, and more. A branding strategist can always help you elevate your startup branding game, but we’re here to give you a primer on the basics of business branding.
What Is Startup Branding?
Branding is the process of creating a robust and positive perception of your company and its products/services in your customers’ minds to make your startup easily identifiable.
Many aspects go into developing a brand, including advertising, customer service, promotional merchandise, logo, and marketing communications. A leading growth company can ensure all these components go hand in hand to create a unique and attention-grabbing brand image for your startup.
Why Is Branding Important for Your Startup?
A unique brand leaves a lasting impression on your customers and helps you gain a competitive advantage. Effective branding brings your startup recognition, increased value, new customers, inspired employees, industry trust, referrals, and advertising.
Still unclear about the importance of branding for startups? Take a look at these statistics.
- 94% of the world’s population recognizes the Coca-Cola logo.
- 86% of consumers prefer an authentic and honest brand personality on social networks.
- On average, it takes 5 to 7 impressions for people to remember your brand.
- 94% of people said they’d be highly likely to recommend a brand they were emotionally engaged with.
- 77% of B2B marketers say branding is crucial for growth.
- Presenting a brand consistently across all platforms can increase revenue by up to 23%.
7 Basics of Startup Branding to Win Over Your Competitors
Define Your Brand’s Mission and Purpose
A business is nothing without a mission and purpose. A well-defined purpose is the core of your brand identity and what separates you from the crowd. A successful startup must answer one simple question: “What is that one thing only I can do that customers will miss out on if I never existed?”
Define your purpose for existing, and understand how your products/services can solve people’s problems. Now deliver your mission and purpose as a promise in everything you do. Win your customers’ confidence and make your startup thrive.
Find Your Brand Personality
Like humans, brands must also have a personality (that should be unique to be attractive). Branded communications, customer relations, and much more make a brand what it is. As a startup, you must have a strong brand personality if you want to capture people’s attention.
Having a powerful brand personality not only draws customers towards your company but also gives your business a unique voice. Find and establish a brand personality, and customers will follow.
Create a Powerful Visual Identity
If something is visually appealing, it instantly grabs your attention, right? A brand is no different. The visual aspect of a brand has a massive impact on its overall perception; it sells the products/services and even the company. So your startup needs to create a visual style that reflects your brand’s identity.
You need to consider various visual elements, like finding the right colors, designing a logo that conveys your brand message, selecting appropriate images, choosing the right typography, and more.
Give Your Startup a Unique Voice
This is a must. The importance of having a unique brand voice has grown tremendously over the last few decades. Just pull out a piece of paper and write down everything that comes to your mind in relation to your brands, such as quality, loyalty, money, people, story, and growth.
Now, pick those that stand out to you and give your startup a unique voice. Remember that both written and verbal voice is the brand’s personality, and both need to be unique to stand out.
Leverage Social Media for Maximum Visibility
When it comes to marketing your brand, you simply cannot afford to neglect the power of social media. Social media is much more than a part of a reasonable branding effort; it can be your primary medium to reach potential customers and increase brand awareness. As a startup, you must spread your message through social media, maximize your visibility, reach potential customers, and start building your leads.
Connect Brand Strategy with Marketing
Your brand strategy must be in sync with your marketing in order to succeed. Consider all the potential marketing channels (social media platforms, emails, websites, events, search engine marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, and others) you can leverage to express your brand, seek out useful customer information, and maximize your potential.
Be Consistent
Branding is a never-ending job. It’s important to maintain consistency and make sure your brand stays cohesive throughout every design project. Your entire business should fit perfectly into your style guide.
Closing Thoughts
As Jeff Bezos said, “your brand is what people say about you after you leave the room.” Branding is not the result of what you do; it’s also the result of how others (especially your customers) feel about you. So buckle up, leverage the tips listed above, delve deeper into the world of branding, and strengthen your startup branding game.
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