Author: Dan Scalco / Source: Entrepreneur “Know thyself.” It’s an old saying, but one more business owners would do well to heed. There a
“Know thyself.” It’s an old saying, but one more business owners would do well to heed. There are many brand-related mistakes an entrepreneur can make, like overdoing an ad campaign or not being transparent about your products, but perhaps the biggest mistake an entrepreneur can make is having a poorly defined brand identity. And yet, it happens all the time.
Why is this such a big deal? Think about when you go to a job interview, you will probably dress a certain way, highlight key experience or maybe even modulate your voice to be different than it would be in casual conversation. Essentially, you’ve created a persona that you hope will be favorable to your employability. In this same way, your brand is the persona of a company, and it will be your customer’s first impression.
With that in mind, here are five airtight tips for developing a strong brand identity.
1. You’re selling your brand, not a product.
Product-centric marketing may have been the wisdom before, but now, in our rapid-fire digital age, you’ve got about 20 seconds to make your impression. And that’s just not long enough for the excellence of your product to shine through. What will keep your leads with you long enough to convert to sales is the impression, or perception, you cultivate, which basically means your brand. It won’t matter how good your product is if your brand doesn’t excite people: They will simply go elsewhere, and quickly.
2. Your brand should reflect who you really are.
Sure, you should think long and hard about what a customer wants to see and experience. That’s key. But it’s also…
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