The month of roasted pumpkin and cinnamon is here and with it the most colourful season of all is officially settling in. There are a lot of things happening at MBC in October. First we dedicate the next 5 weeks on Branding, so if that’s something you are interested in, don’t miss a single post.
Second, October is also Black History Month and we are celebrating it, by gifting all black business clients with 20% off all our services.
Third, watch out for the Halloween Special raffle!
What is Branding?
Branding is also known as corporate identity or in very simple words, this is your business’ unified face in front of the world. It includes, but is not limited to all of the following:
Logo
Staff uniforms
Customer service methods and procedures
Business cards
Letterheads
Marketing materials — posters, flyers, adverts, incentives, goodie bags, etc.
Why is Branding important?
You want your customers to know your business, stay loyal to it and recommend it to other people so you grow your reach and respectively, sales. This is where brand recognition plays a significant role. Have you ever asked yourself why a particular piece of clothing at a designer store has a different price to a similar piece at a high street fashion retailer? It’s not only because of the supposedly better quality, it is also because of the strength and reputation of the designer brand. If you want your business to be respected and preferred to others, you need to work very hard on your branding.
How to get Branding right?
I have 5 main steps for you to explore and follow.
Step 1: Decide what your message is and who you are sending it to. - Clearly define your brand values and mission. This is what is going to be at the base of your brand message. Then identify your ideal client and what do they like and find attractive. Now you know what to say and who to say it to in order to encourage sales.
Step 2: Design a powerful logo. - A business logo is the core of brand recognition. The best logos are always simple, easy to remember and speak without words. Take time to study colours and their meaning and choose the right palette that successfully transmits your brand message by visualisation. We will talk more about logo design and colour choice in one of the future posts in October.
Step 3: Communicate and Integrate your brand message. - Make sure your staff members are aware of what your brand is about and are trained to represent it well at all times, especially when dealing with customers. Outline clear procedures, processes and policies that will also become part of your brand identity.
Step 4: Find your voice and stick to it. - Think of a strong tagline that summarises your brand values or the benefits it brings to consumers. For example, Nike's "Just do it." shows that the brand is about active lifestyle. Tesco's "Every little helps" promises to save you money when you shop with them even if the savings are not huge. If you are a friendly, laid back and focused on Millennials brand, use casual language in all of your content marketing campaigns. On the other hand, if your target market is from the older generation or you are a sophisticated brand, stick to formal communication.
Step 5: Always be who you say you are. - Once you know what your brand message is and you have found your voice, don't stray from it. Keep your brand promises to keep your customers. You can't say you provide top quality and use cheap and unreliable materials to produce your goods. You also can't say your brand is about improving the quality of life and use child labour to minimise costs. The world has seen a number of giant corporations completely destroyed because they didn't stay true to what they preached. Bonus tip: Inconsistency in your brand message, identity and delivery can lead to your business destruction. Don't let it happen, make sure your brand is unified at all fronts.
Temmie's Advice
If you don't know who Temmie is, take a walk on MBC's website and more specifically, here. Throughout October you get the chance to receive free expert advice from our branding guru in every blog post. (If I were you, I'd subscribe.)
Build a brand not a commodity.
Sounds a little confusing doesn’t it? Commodities are vague, indistinguishable business offerings that can’t be easily recognised by consumers. Commodities, irrespective of product quality always seems to solve the same problems and deliver the same value. A brand on the other hand, stands as a representative of all other commodities within its niche. They are defined by their unique attributes and always stand out in the subconsciousness of consumers as a preferred offering. Consumers are willing to spend extra effort and money on brands they believe in.
When commodities are identified as “soda”, be “Coca-Cola”; ‘smartphones’, be “Apple”; “Online retail”, be “Amazon”.
Want to chat with Temmie? We can make it happen.
If you are a black business take advantage of our October offer. It's easy, just contact us!
