The landscape of doing business has evolved at an astronomical pace over the last few decades. With the dominating prevalence of online business, an explosion of influencers and side hustles, and the new wave of advertising, having a strong brand is arguably more important than ever.
Branding isn’t what it used to be. The term is not just synonymous with behemoth corporations. Everyone in today’s economy has focused on building a brand, whether for their small business or even for themselves personally. Consumers have access to an unprecedented amount of products and content. How do you build a good image and a strong brand in these circumstances? Here are five tips that will help set you apart from the competition.
1. Be Professional
This is the first step any new brand should take. Do not spare any cost at the risk of looking unprofessional. If 100 new companies and brands are created today, 90 of them are going to focus on getting off the ground and worry about improving their look when they feel confident that the brand has a chance of success.
This cannot be the path you take. If you are building a brand, you must believe in it from day one. If you do not believe in your brand, why should your consumer? These are a few must-dos to ensure your brand has a professional image:
2. Be Consistent and Consistently Good
You want to meet and exceed consumer expectations every single time. No matter what your brand is representing, the consumer will know the quality of the product or content and will want that quality time and time again. If you are creating a personal brand around social media influence, you should be making consistent posts with a theme. If you are selling merchandise, you need to be working with a factory that will produce a high-quality product every time. On the back end, you need to make sure orders are fulfilled in a timely manner and properly packaged. Set the expectation from day one and fight every day to exceed that expectations.
Getting all your contracts in place to create your product can be difficult. Once you have created your product, it is crucial that you protect it. Having an experienced business attorney from Lawyer For Business in your corner can save you time and money in the long run. Whether it is a business formation, contract drafting, negotiation, trademarking, or anything else, Lawyer For Business is here for you. Click here to learn more about how we can help.
3. Stay True to Who You Are
When starting and growing a brand, it is easy to look at others in your market and try to emulate them. While there are times when this will help, it is so important to stay true to who you are and what you want to achieve. You want to find inspiration from the competition, not emulation. If you are starting a beauty brand, do not try to be Kylie Jenner or Rihanna. If you are starting a podcast, do not try to be Joe Rogan. Be yourself, know who you are, and find creative ways to attract your target market. The goal is to stand out, not blend in.
4. Sell a Story
You must stand out. Everyone is starting a blog, podcast, or clothing brand. Why is yours different? Why should consumers want to take part in what you are doing? One way is to offer a top-notch, high-quality, professional product. You also must set yourself apart. Let’s look at some successful brands that have been exploding.
- Fandom: Fandom is a wiki-style site that allows users to dive deep into the lore of their favorite tv shows, movies, and games. The company has been around since 2004 but has seen 350% growth over the last 5 years. How have they done it? They created a community. Fandom allows you to “nerd out”. It relies on a huge user base to contribute content and answer questions. The site offers an easy-to-use UI, niche wiki pages, and a safe place for you to learn more about things you are passionate about. At fandom, it is okay to be yourself and the fans are really buying into that.
- Gumroad: Gumroad has taken advantage of the competitive brand market and created a marketplace to sell your content. What is their story? They want normal everyday people to give it a shot. Their slogan is “Earn your first $1 online”. They aren’t trying to sell some get-rich-quick scheme. Gumroad wants you to “start small” and see how what it is like to earn money online. This has led to a confident user base and a small barrier to entry. Gumroad has had over $600 million in sales since its platform launched in 2012.
- Manscaped: What started out as a small men’s grooming company has transformed into a brand that is synonymous with the term. They did this by creating an ironclad brand. Their story is that it is cool to be a well-groomed man. Similar to the rise of Axe in the 2010s, manscaped took everyday products like electric razors and made them cool. Their standard trimmer is called “the lawnmower” and their men’s hygiene product is called “the crop preserver”. Manscaped is a perfect example of a good product, catchy branding, and leveraging your growth. As the brand has grown, they have done sponsorships with world class athletes and celebrities. Searches for manscaped are up over 2500% over the last 5 years.
5. Get Everyone to Buy In
Your brand is something you are passionate about. This is something you have likely cared about for a long time, and you are proud to get off the ground running. As you grow, you need to make sure everyone else buys in, too. As you hire employees, find ways to make them excited to be a part of your company and your vision. By selling your story, you will keep customers engaged and proud to support you and your product. If you can find creative ways to get everyone to buy into your brand as much as you have, that is a recipe for success.
Wrapping It Up
While it may be harder than ever to stand out, it is easier than ever to get started. Have a plan and don’t be afraid to dive in. It may seem like a tall task to create a winning brand in 2022, but with the right mindset, passion, and drive, separate yourself from the pack. Use an experienced attorney to protect your brand, your concept, and your idea from the start. Build your brand. Build your image. Change the world.
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