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Last Updated on April 27, 2023 by Work In My Pajamas
Whether intentional or not, your business has a brand. Brand is not the same as the logo, or the font choice, or the name of your company. It’s everything combined. It’s the story that is instantly recalled when the world hears your name or sees your company imagery. And if you don’t control your story for the world, the world will control your story for you.
Gaining control of your branding doesn’t happen in an instant. It takes a constant effort from all members of your company following the lead of a sound marketing and branding strategy. If you’re just starting out, or if you’re thinking about rebranding a storied name, there are many ways to move forward, but do remember to avoid these six steps backward.
In This Post:
1. Adopting a Bad Logo
Remember Gap’s logo fiasco in 2010? That blue square over the ‘p’ caused such outrage that long-time loyal customers threatened to boycott the stores. It’s an extreme example, but it shows that logo testing is necessary, and plenty of thought is required for a corporate logo. It should be approved in all departments and worked out over time.
2. Abandoning your Core Ethos
From the Hindsight-Is-Always-20/20 Department: there was a short period in the 1980s when Harley-Davidson (a motorcycle company associated with being tough and leathery) put out a product line of wine coolers (a beverage associated with being small and petite). Mistake? Obviously. The lesson: stay true to your customer base. Don’t ignore what you’re known for and don’t just go along with the fads.
3. Ignoring Social Media
Have a profile on the major social networks if you can. Being absent on Facebook is, for many, akin to being absent in the real world. But don’t have a zombie profile; if your last status update was from three years ago, potential customers will turn into lost customers, because they’ll assume you’re out of business. And don’t think that social media is just for kids – the average Facebook user in the US is 40.5 years old.
Know where your target audience is based, and find out the networks that will make it work.
4. Jumping into Social Media Without a Clue
The flip side is using social media well. Don’t ever let the Twitter-sphere see you post a tweet that says you don’t know what Twitter really is. Just like when your car breaks down – you don’t take your best guess and hope nothing explodes. You hire a professional mechanic to do it for you. The same applies for all your business’s marketing efforts – hire specialists who have knowledge and experience in this.
Certain industries will even have agencies full of experts who focus on just that one industry; for example, dentists looking into dental office training can hire someone who specializes specifically in dental marketing just for that industry. Just do a little research, and you should be able to find the agency you’re best suited for.
5. Lacking Consistency Across All Channels
Do your television commercials present a clean, professional austerity, while your Twitter account spews quotes from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High?” Make sure you use a consistent voice. Know what you’re aiming for, and keep all channels consistent and reliable.
6. Failing to Get Customer Reviews
Google Plus and Yelp are by far the most influential online review platforms. They are the most visible in search results, and power a huge amount of smaller review sites as well. Online reviews are as powerful – if not more so – than real-world word-of-mouth recommendations. They can break a deal with one little star. Get those reviews from your customers, and ask for five stars! Offer incentives and rewards for customers who take the time to review.
This is just the tip of the marketing iceberg – there are plenty of other ways to go awry – but avoid these six big ones and you’ll be in pretty good shape. Best of luck, and happy branding.
