Don’t worry you read that right. Just like the way we get our cars an MOT, your brand could do with a regular check up to make sure everything stays on track. Sometimes you have to shake things up to make sure your brand is aligned with your business goals and the changing needs of your customers.
But, what is it about your brand that you should check up? How do you know if your brand and your business goals still align? Well, here are a few things you can start with.
Do your business goals and your brand match up?
Does your brand reflect your business strategy and does everyone know what that is? If not you might need a rebrand. Fore example, Dropbox have recently rebranded. Dropbox’s mission has evolved from just keeping files in sync to helping keep teams in sync. As a result of that evolution, their brand needed to be updated to reflect that. As a branding agency, we loved reading about their evolution and how they put the problems they solve for customers front and centre in the brand development. Their new logo depicts “more than storage”. It’s more of an online workspace where you can bring your work and teams together.
So Dropbox has evolved successfully. Is it time for you to do the same? You probably need to ask yourself, is it clear what your brand is about? If it’s not, this is where you need a health check! Maybe it’s time to update your brand or your business goals. Make the most of it, and you can always consult our brand toolkit for a little more inspiration.
Persistence is key!
So, before the undeniable power and influence of social media, there used to be a few companies that were able to create a brand strategy that got them regional, national and international recognition. The brands that got that media attention had enough money to employ the top marketing and advertising agencies.
Today social media and content marketing has levelled the playing field. You don’t need hundreds of thousands of ad spend to make your brand recognisable. So what can you do instead? Be persistent. This can really pay off. Creating continuous content, promoting great content and customer outreach are key things to developing your brand. Create your presence on social media, and one great post a day can help to cement your brand as being instantly recognisable online. If you continue to build your presence online, people will start to notice and pay attention. And you’ll build trust.
Read more on how to make your brand stand head and shoulders above the pack.
Create a brand persona
So you’re posting great content. Next? Make sure your clients and potential clients know who you are and help them to instantly recognise your brand. Part of this is your logo, slogan, colour scheme, packaging and signage. It’s your brand’s personality and applying is consistently is key.
For example, let’s take Kellogg’s Frosties. We bet in your head you’re hearing Tony the Tiger say “They’re grrreat!” right now, or at least you will be after reading that. There’s a personality and a character that is instantly recognisable which can help to keep loyal customers buying the product. We’re not saying you need a mascot but it’s a strong brand persona that’s been created. Everything from content writing to TV ads carries this specific personality and character makes it all unforgettable. The point here is, if you had to create a character to embody the traits of your brand, how would you describe it?
Want to know how to build brand consistency? Grab our brand tool kit to get you started.
Don’t underestimate employee engagement
Looking after your brand is something of a team collaboration. Any content anywhere associated with your company reflects the brands identity. Content isn’t just blog posts, videos, pictures, infographics and social media posts. If it’s seen by one or more people, it’s content. All of it can impact your branding. Which means it’s important to have everyone on the same page when it comes to your brand strategy.
Social media might be the quickest and easiest way to reach your audience. Make sure you’ve got a strong plan to create great content to consistently further your brand and drive employee engagement.
Bring in a pro to help with your logo
A logo is a visual representation of your brand identity. Sometimes it’s the first thing people see so never underestimate its importance. The majority of things you do for your brand, yes you can do yourself. Trust us when we say this though, you should really hire a professional to design your logo. When you think of the big brands, you are probably picturing their logo and they will definitely have had a professional create their iconic images.
A well-designed logo can do wonders for your brand recognition. After all, your logo is everywhere. Print, website, packaging and anything you send out or create. A professional design will be worth every penny! And it you’re looking for a tailored approach, you’re in the right place.
Lastly, track your brand performance. Use what works well and what doesn’t work so well to develop your strategy. There is generally a theme, for example, to what is popular on social media. Whether that’s timing or the sort of content you put out. Ditch whatever doesn’t truly reflect your brand or engage your clients. Your business will thank you for it.
Read our blog on social selling for more tips on the topic of getting your brand out there.