Your brand is your identity which makes it very valuable—especially in the eyes of consumers. Did you know; most customers will only purchase products from brands they recognize and are familiar with?

Bear in mind you’ll be competing with other bigger and better brands. So how do you make your own stand out from the rest? It’s all in the design process which can either make or break your company image.

You want your brand to be as innovative as possible. But do you have what it takes to design a truly new idea? Don’t be overwhelmed, we’re here to help.

What is Branding?

Most people associate branding with a catchy tagline or unique logo design. While this may be so, the concept of branding far exceeds these basics. It ultimately boils down to how your customers and prospective clients perceive your business.

In other words:

• What message is your brand communicating?
• What values and principles are you portraying as a business?
• Customers and needs are often evolving. You want to design a brand that’s not only innovative but resonates with them.

Follow these eight easy steps and your brand will be the talk of the town.

6 Steps to Become an Innovative Brand

1.      Who is Your Target Audience?

The first step is to determine who exactly your target audience is. Your brand certainly can’t appeal to everyone. So, before you start the designing process, it’s crucial that you learn about your niche. What are their interests, purchasing behaviors and lifestyles?

Know information regarding your target audience’s age group, gender and income. By having this information and understanding the consumer’s psyche, you can design a brand identity that resonates with them. The end result? They’ll prefer to buy from your business because they feel understood and your message relates to their needs.

2.      What is Your Mission Statement?

When building your company’s brand, the last thing you need is a design resulting from random ideas that have nothing to do with your organizational beliefs.

You need to have a clear mission statement highlighting what exactly your business is passionate about. Why are you in business? What motivates you as a company?

A mission statement clearly defines your business’ purpose of existence. Now take your cue regarding other aspects of your branding from this idea. Your reason for operating will inspire your company:

• Logo
• Tagline
• Personality
• Voice

3.      What Are Your Competitors Doing?

It’s in your best interests to find out what your competitors’ brands are like. The goal here isn’t to imitate their branding strategy but to simply have an understanding of what works and build from there.

In the same vein, you must analyse competitors that aren’t doing so well and figure out where they’re going wrong. This way you know what to avoid.

After analyzing your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, you then design a brand that differentiates you from the rest:

• What’s your competitive advantage or unique selling point?
• Do you have more branches for better accessibility?
• Do you use better and more specialized equipment and technology?

4.      Creation of Brand Logo

Know that a logo is probably one of the most important symbols your customers will use to differentiate you from your competitors. That’s why proper logo design is crucial as it influences factors such as professionalism and customer engagement.

Remember that your logo is going to appear on everything related to your company from letterheads to business cards. In short; it’s your business identity. And as such you need to ensure that you create an innovative logo that’s:

• Clear
• Concise
• Catchy
• Memorable
• Recognizable

Make sure you hire a professional designer who will provide you with a professional looking logo. Opting for cheaper, shoddy designs can even harm your company image.

Come up with a captivating tagline to engage your target audience. Alternatively, you can also leave it to the professionals to come up with something that will really work.

5.      Find Your Brand Voice

Part of your branding includes forming your voice. This is basically the “tone” you’ll use to interact and respond to your customers. Do you want to be perceived as professional, friendly or technical?

The brand voice you pick is directly related to your company mission statement and target audience as stated earlier. This is why understanding your niche is important so that you create a business voice that they can relate to.

If your niche comprises of the younger generation, go the friendly route. Do business intellectuals make up your target audience? Going the professional route will be more appropriate.

Your voice will also influence your marketing channels as well as content. Does your target audience frequent Instagram or LinkedIn? Make your brand available where they are.

Whatever you do, make sure you maintain a consistent brand voice to avoid alienating your customers.

6.      Use the Correct Platform to Create Brand Awareness

Now that you have the tools necessary to design your brand, the next step is to put your brand out there. And the quickest way to reach your target audience is to be available on online platforms.

Having online presence is crucial in the present digital era. Most customers look up a company online before engaging its services.

Set up a website where you share your company information, services and product offering. By visiting your company website, customers can tell a lot about your business including what it represents and values.

Take advantage of this platform to communicate your company brand voice, message and personality through the use of engaging content. But make sure your website is easily accessible. Is it desktop as well as mobile friendly?

You want your customers and prospects to have seamless user experience.

In addition, also make sure you’re available on other online platforms such as LinkedIn if relevant to your niche.

Final Words

We’re certain by following these tips, you’ll create a brand that’s not only innovative but progressive. The right brand will make your business stand out from the rest as well as attract and retain customers.

Make the right first decisions to enjoy long term success.

Author Bio

My name is Jack Sutton, a freelance digital marketer and content strategist who shares your enthusiasm for growth and success in achieving organizational milestones. Just tag me to get a load of ideas for taking your business to the next level.