Establishing your business's brand is critical to showing consumers who you are and what is essential to your business. Branding encompasses all of the elements that set your business apart: not just your colors and your logo, but the things that you support, the causes that matter to you, and the benefits you offer to your consumers.
As a business, you need a solid brand identity that establishes who and what you are and a brand strategy that helps express that information to consumers who might be interested in your business. Do you know how to build and showcase a successful brand for your business? These tips and tricks will help.
1. Discover your brand purpose.
What does your brand stand for? What is your purpose? Sixty-three percent of consumers prefer to support a brand that shares a purpose with them. By establishing a strong brand purpose, you help consumers learn whether they want to connect with your brand and why they should. 
2. Know your competition.
Who are the other brands that share space in your target market? What do they offer? If you don't know your competition, you don't know what sets your brand apart. On the other hand, as you get to know your competition, you can better learn what makes you different and create marketing materials that showcase it.
3. Identify your target audience.
To create a solid brand identity, you need to share that identity with your target audience. You might create very different marketing materials for a target audience made up of working moms than you would for primarily single men under the age of 30.
4. Outline your brand's key qualities and benefits.
Take a look at your brand from your consumers' perspective. What is it that makes your brand desirable? Why should they choose you? Create a list of your key qualities and benefits, including why you might stand out from your competition.
5. Establish a unique brand voice.
When consumers connect with your business, they should know who you are: that they have connected specifically with your brand and not with your competitors. Establish a unique brand voice that makes you recognizable.
6. Let your personality shine through.
Consumers like to hear from businesses that have spark and personality. Show who you are: your sense of humor, your excitement about your industry, your unique elements. As your personality shines through, you'll find that you can make a deeper connection with your customers, increasing their overall brand loyalty. Be authentic! Consumers are savvy, and they respond to authentic connections with your brand.
7. Build your brand story.
Tell the story of your brand: who you are, how you've grown, and what's important to you. Cause marketing is a great way to do this. TOMs shoes, for example, started their platform with a "buy one, share one" setup that allowed consumers to donate shoes each time they bought a pair for themselves. As the brand grew, their brand story grew along with it, until it has become a critical part of the brand's marketing message.
8. Create a logo and tagline.
Your logo and tagline are recognizable aspects of your brand that consumers can connect with. Establish a logo that reflects your brand identity so that consumers will know what they're seeing any time they connect with your brand. Include colors and designs that reflect your unique identity and that help set you apart from your competitors.
9. Integrate your brand into every aspect of your business.
Consumers should know and recognize your brand no matter how they connect with your business. Your brand should be part of every interaction: across key marketing channels, when they connect with your business for customer service, and even during the hiring and recruiting process. The more consumers connect with your brand, the more recognizable you should be.
10. Invest for the long haul.
Branding isn't just a short-term proposition. Instead, you need to invest for the long haul. Create a long-term plan to ensure that your brand remains part of your ongoing marketing strategy. Over time, consumers will develop deeper trust and more brand recognition. A long-term branding campaign also increases the odds that consumers will recognize your brand and call it to mind when they need your product or service.
Are you ready to establish an in-depth branding campaign that will allow you to connect more with your consumers? A media partner can help. By working with a media partner, you can access all the information you need to better develop your brand, establish your brand presence, and connect with consumers in your target audience.
