This article takes you through some of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make while branding their businesses. These mistakes are not just limited to small businesses alone but can be traced to mid-sized enterprises as well. More prominent companies become big by avoiding these blunders. If you are setting up your company, consider reading this article.
1. Marketing is not branding
Most people think that the two are the same. They are wrong. Branding and marketing are inter-related but aren’t the same. Branding is deciding who you are. It is the process to define and execute your brand personality. What does your brand stand for? What is its brand promise? What is your brand aiming to do, how does it help people who are buying it? What is your brand tone- friendly or straight in the face?
Marketing is telling your customers about your brand. You use marketing to tell others about your brand availability. Marketing is about price, promotions, etc. You use marketing channels to fit your brand in your consumer’s persona.
2. Not taking professional help
Successful entrepreneurs recognize their limitations. They understand the importance of professional advice. Entrepreneurs are all the time looking out for experts like Brandmatters Australia to help them in marketing and sorting PR issues. If you have an idea and want to validate it, don’t hesitate in approaching more knowledgeable people. Create and develop professional relationships.
3. Confusing branding with logo
This is the most common mistake that entrepreneurs make; spending precious advertising dollars to create a logo while not focusing on branding. Please remember that a logo is just one part of a brand. A logo is a visual representation of your brand. The former is much bigger than a visible symbol; it tells the whole world about your product. Don’t spend too much of your time creating a logo. Instead, devote a few hours every day to make your brand better.
4. Lack of focus
We agree that staying focused is very difficult for any entrepreneur. He has to do so many things to run his business. From fixing leaking pipes to raising funds, he has to do everything to keep his business running.
However, this shouldn’t stop you from focusing on your brand. Your business will also grow if you have the right branding strategy. Running a start-up is a delicate task; you will have to balance so many things while focusing upon your most important job- make your brand better and unique.
5. Over-branding
Some entrepreneurs are always too edgy. They are forever trying to sound unique from their competitors. This isn’t a bad thing. Brands need to be focused and unique. However, you need to step back and do some soul searching; are you stretching yourself too thin? In the quest to be unique, are you doing something crazy? How difficult would it be for you to come back to your previous position if things don’t work out?
6. Consistency
Sometimes we are not consistent in our messaging. We fail to show up daily in front of our consumers. Worse, our digital messaging is not in tune with what we say on print, TV, and radio. This is a consistency failure. Great brands always show up and are consistent in their messaging.
7. Don’t go by trends
It’s great to follow trends and be inspired by them but don’t adopt them all the time. Many start-ups mindlessly copy whatever is happening in the market and lose their originality. This is a marketing blunder and takes away your uniqueness. In short, consider adopting some of the ideas mentioned above while branding your business.
2018 ·