Starting a Small Business? You Need to Avoid These Critical Branding Mistakes

Do you want to start your own business? If so then you need to make sure that you avoid these critical branding mistakes. If you don’t then you may find that you end up struggling to get your company name out there and that you also end up falling behind your competition. If you want to stop this from happening then take a look below.

Failure to Research Competition

This is so important if you are starting a new business. You have to make sure that you do the work and that you understand who your competition are. Know where they have failed and also where they have succeeded. If you work in the medical sector, it could be worth finding other nutraceutical packaging companies, so you can make yourself stand out. Understand their target audience and social platforms, so you can fill in the gaps. If you do this then you will soon find that it is easier for you to get the edge you are looking for.

Not Knowing Your Target Audience

Before you even start your pitch, you need to make sure you understand your target audience. Take note of their demands and the expectations they have. You also need to know the things that they identify with and the brands they tend to favor. When you do find your audience, you can focus on your overall message and what you want to stand out for. So many businesses make the mistake of trying to target everyone, but if you do this then you may find that you end up stretching yourself too thin, which is the last thing you need. 

Not Taking Feedback

Another critical mistake would be you not taking feedback, or taking feedback from the wrong sources. Family, friends and employees might be able to give you a lot of advice, and this is great. That being said, you need to also make sure that you are taking feedback from your customers because they are the ones who are buying your product or your service. If you want to make sure that you are getting a good amount of feedback then you must use social media and review sites. Platforms like this are invaluable if you want to better your company and make the right changes early on.

Logo Design

Graphic design is important, but at the same time, that’s not what it’s all about. Branding is not just about your tagline or your logo. Branding constitutes everything that you could represent, whether it’s your company’s voice or even the style of content you are looking to create. You will be able to find your audience more efficiently if you have a competitive advantage and a distinct logo.

Without this, you may find that people just don’t remember you, even if you provide them with a great service. For small businesses, this can be the kiss of death, so make sure you avoid it where possible. Some companies rebrand and spend thousands trying to get their image right, but sometimes this won’t do you any favors. If you run an online fashion brand then you may find that you just become another name in the business.

Instead of changing things up, invest that money in advertising, product quality and your customer care time. If you can do this, then you will be remembered for all of the right reasons.

Inconsistency

Brand consistency will have a huge impact on your company. Consistency helps to build a level of familiarity and it also helps with loyalty. That being said, you do have to make sure you are credible and that you are consistent with your promotions.

Your communication, personality and edge also comes into this. Your audience expects you to provide the same quality of service across every interaction. Coca-Cola is quite possibly the most consistent brand in history. Their logo has barely changed in over 130 years and everyone recognizes their campaigns.

They also have several heartwarming Christmas campaigns too. The brand has built such a high level of loyalty that no other soda can beat it. If you can do the same with your company then this will help you in more ways than one.

Not Focusing on Impressions

A brand that has a bit of a clunky design will often go unnoticed. You might well have a great product with great messaging and even a good presentation, but most of the time, people probably won’t pay attention to you. The main reason for this is that you are not making a big first impression.  It’s so important that you work on your site and that you make sure that as soon as people land on it, they know you are the real deal. If your website needs a bit of a facelift then make sure that this is your priority. There are so many business resources out there that are designed to help you with this, so make sure that you keep that in mind.

Poor Customer Service

Whether you like it or not, poor customer service can be a huge detriment to your brand. People are way more likely to talk about their experience with a product if it was negative. This is why providing a good customer experience is so important. United Airlines went through a bit of a rocky time as they weren’t providing good customer service. They dragged a passenger off a flight and the CEO didn’t release a response right away.

The response that he did release was perceived as cold. The incidents led to their stock dropping quite rapidly and it led to the country’s perception of the brand taking a real downturn. The fix here is to apply the saying “The customer is always right”. You have to meet with your users where they are, even if you need to go out of your way to make this happen. Companies that provide exceptional service and who make up for their mishaps, tend to build a really strong and loyal customer base.

Not Using Social Media

Neglecting social media is yet another way that you may hurt your brand satisfaction. A lot of social media fails stem from good intentions, such as when Crocs tried to lead a tribute to David Bowie. That being said, insensitivity issues are often magnified by social media reach.

Other times, you may find that you simply don’t invest enough time or money into your social media campaign. This can work against you. The fix here is for you to devote real time and money to your social media efforts. If you want to follow a brand then Wendy’s is great.

They have over 2.5 million followers on their Twitter page and they have 8.5 million likes on their Facebook page. The brand has a very consistent image and they often take the time to interact with their fanbase. The company’s team also make an effort to keep up with the latest events as well as pop culture, which is a great way for them to engage with their followers.

Not having a Plan B

There are so many companies that believe that a brand is something that you have to establish, but after that, it takes care of itself. In this day and age, that’s not true at all. You have to constantly refine your offerings so that you can adapt to the changing needs of the market.

Not every branding strategy will work the first time around, and in instances like this, you have to make sure that you have a plan B so you can recover immediately. One of the main, most visible examples of a brand that didn’t change would be Blockbuster.

The Netflix founder approached the company in the year 2000 and they offered to sell their company that at the time, rented movies online through a mail subscription service.

Blockbuster said no as, most of their money came from late fees and they could not see the potential. In this day and age, Netflix is a model that shows willingness to change. They now have hundreds of original shows and movies.

Blockbuster now only has a couple of stores in Alaska.

The fix here would be for you to take the time to listen to your customer base. When they push for more convenience or a bigger selection when it comes to options, listen to them. If you don’t then someone else will, so make sure that you are mindful of that.

Insensitivity

Insensitivity when it comes to branding is a major issue. Companies make headlines often by creating well-meaning ads but they soon turn into a PR nightmare. The Kendall Jenner Pepsi advertisement is a prime example of this.

Another prime example would be the McDonald’s campaign, which used a boy and his deceased grandfather as a way to push their Fillet O’ Fish meal. Before you delve into a controversial topic, make sure that your brand fits into the issue and that you are not trying to capitalize on a movement that does not relate to your brand. If you can ensure that this is the case then you will be able to benefit in the long run.

This is a contributed post.