Building a brand should be one of the most important investments your business makes. So that you avoid costly mistakes, we’ve compiled a list of branding do’s and don’ts to get your brand in the right place:

Do’s:

Don’ts

Do’s

Identify your target audience

You must do as much research into who your audience is and what motivates them as possible. Get to grips with their likes and dislikes and how they like to communicate and other behaviours. Understanding this will help you to put your brand in a strong position. Doing this work will help shape branding decisions and marketing campaigns.

Develop a brand personality

For your company to succeed, establishing a defined personality should be a top priority. Long-lasting brands have a clear personality, purpose and tone of voice. If you’re not sure who your brand is, take some time to work out what your brand’s purpose is. Here’s how to do that.

Keep your brand consistent

We talk about the importance of brand consistency a lot and that’s because the power of consistency should to be underestimated. In fact, 71% of companies list customer confusion as the biggest negative impact of an inconsistent brand.

But, an inconsistent brand doesn’t only lead to confusion, it can lead to a loss of confidence in the brand. Brand consistency is key to maintaining expectations, building trust and credibility. To find out how to keep your brand consistent, click here.

Maintain authenticity

Your brand needs to authentically represent who you are as a business to succeed. Look at your core values and what they mean to help you with this. Your core values should help inform your long-term objectives and essence of your brand. If you are unsure whether you are maintaining your brand’s authenticity, revert back to your core values. With 91% of consumers preferring to buy from an authentic brand, anything that is not in alignment with these should be avoided.

Create high-quality content

To engage your audience, creating high-quality relevant content is a must-do.  Your website is the perfect platform to collate well-researched pieces and attract customers. Every piece of content should communicate your knowledge and value as well as helping to address customer pain points.

Don’ts

Exclude your employees

Leaving out the people who champion your brand every day is a mistake. Keeping them involved throughout the process helps to get everyone on the same page. Plus, they may have valuable insights you weren’t aware of. Holding branding workshops could be a great way of involving everyone in a controlled setting

Focus too much on your competitors

Yes, it’s smart to keep an eye on what your competitors are up to. But, getting lost in the details or hung up on every move they make is unhealthy for creating your own brand. If you build your brand around what the competition is about, you’ll deviate from your own core values and lose authenticity. Finding a balance is key here.

It’s important to consider a brand refresh strategy especially when it comes to staying ahead of your competition. Businesses that stagnate quickly become irrelevant. So, implementing a brand refresh can help you stay up-to-date with market trends and give you a competitive edge.

Keep in mind that a brand refresh is not changing who you are as a company, it’s just getting rid of anything that is no longer relevant. It’s a way of improving communication with your audience.

Settle for poor design

Never underestimate the value of high-quality design. Because 78% of consumers believe that logos are works of art, the sight of an outdated or badly designed logo is enough to put a consumer off interacting with that brand. When it comes to building your brand, you shouldn’t skimp on professional design. It’s an investment. 

Make promises you can’t keep

31% of consumers say trustworthiness is the most important brand attribute. So, it should go without saying that making promises you can’t keep will damage your brand’s credibility. Don’t waste time on anything that isn’t a true representation of your business. Be realistic and manage your customers’ expectations.

Expect results overnight

Set realistic expectations and track your progress. Great brands are not built overnight. Don’t be afraid to hire a professional if the process seems daunting. Brand strategists will develop a brand that is best suited to your business, giving you a finished result you can be proud of.

Next steps

Your brand is fundamental to your business and getting it right is integral to your success. Speaking to a branding expert is an invaluable next step. 

To speak to one of Studio LWD’s branding strategists please get in touch, we’d love to hear about your project!