5 Branding Mistakes To Avoid
Branding has both the power to attract and detract your customers. It’s what makes you stand out from competitors, builds customer loyalty, and is the number one reason a customer decides to buy from you, so you can not afford to make the following five mistakes… if you hope to attract your dream customers that is!
Not actually Targeting an Audience
The first mistake I see small business owners make is not focusing their branding and marketing efforts on a specific customer. When you lack clarity about your audience, you'll end up wasting resources and losing sales. You need to clearly define your audience and focus your message on what they want and the problems they experience. For example, if you are selling a new line of health and beauty products, don't waste your time inviting smokers and fast food lovers to the party. You'll be wasting your time and money, not to mention that it could end up harming your brand. Define your audience and focus your marketing efforts on serving them specifically.Choosing a Vision That Doesn't Represent You
It's critical, to be honest about who you are and what you represent; this is your brand, after all! While it's certainly tempting to follow all the trends, it's far more effective to stay true to yourself. Crafting a vision that reflects your core beliefs and values will make for a more impactful brand than trying to fit someone else mold.Take some time choosing a vision statement that accurately represents who you are and what you are here to accomplish. The sky is the limit when it comes to where branding can take your business, so why not start climbing now?
Not Being Consistent
Inconsistency makes it harder to build trust. From your messaging to visuals, everything in your brand should feel cohesive. When elements seem disconnected, it undermines the customer's confidence in the brand.If you want people to know who you are, they need to recognize your brand. When someone encounters any brand element –– a logo, an ad, or even a person representing the business –– it should trigger an association with the rest of the brand identity. This applies even when people are conscious; it's even more important when they're not paying close attention. It's difficult for customers to recognize an inconsistent brand because different parts of the identity don't call each other to mind.
Copying the Competition
You’ve done your research. You know who your competitors are. And you can spot all the latest industry trends. But before you start imitating their branding, remember that your goal should be to stand out! If you desire to have customers choose you over your competition, why blend in?Clarify what makes your brand unique and reflect that in your branding. Avoid making changes simply because your competitors have – Remember, if it doesn’t align with your values, then don’t do it.
Letting Your Branding Become Stagnant
Your brand should change with you as your business expands and evolves. When you're not innovating, you're not evolving—and that can be a serious problem when you're trying to relate to your customers.But wait—isn't consistency just as important as innovation? Consistency is a great thing. It gives people a sense of security in knowing what they can expect from your product or service, but too much consistency will breed complacency and cause people to lose interest in you as a company. Every once in awhile take a step back and reevaluate. To keep your brand looking fresh and relevant, you can simply make some tweaks here and there while keeping the same overall look that your customers know and love. The best part? You don't have to reinvent the wheel every time you want to freshen up your look; there are a lot of small changes you can make without throwing out everything that's already working for you.
The last thing you want to do is make a branding mistake that could cost your business customers, money and time. Your business is a force for good, and your brand shouldn't hold you back. By avoiding these mistakes you'll be more likely to attract those amazing dream customers. If you want help with your branding sign up for my free masterclass below, and learn how to Pivot Your Brand to Profitability. 👇
