So you’ve decided to start a brand. Now what?
Brand building can be a big job. And sometimes can feel a little bit overwhelming.
However, I think that having the courage to take this step and beginning the branding process is a fantastic thing. And before you know it – you’ll be able to reap the rewards and drive results for your business.
So, where do we start then?
The beginnings of the brand building process don’t need to include a thousand or more steps. In fact, I think that ten should do the trick. Let’s break down the ten tips that you should consider adopting when building your brand from the ground up.
TIP #1: DEFINE YOUR CORE GOALS AND VALUES
Your brand is an extension of YOU! Take the time to identify what values align with your brand, and what your goals are. Your values may change depending on your industry – but take the time to understand what feels good AND authentic for your brand, so that you’re not amplifying something that doesn’t light you up.
Ask yourself these questions as you work through this exercise:
- What does your brand stand for?
- What is your mission?
- What are your non-negotiables?
- What is your goal for your business?
- What feels most aligned to you in this stage of business?
TIP #2: SECURE YOUR DOMAIN AND SOCIAL PROFILES
You know that name that’s been on your brain ever since you decided to start your brand? Or maybe you’re ready to refresh for a new identity. Do some due diligence and make sure that your website domain (the www.________.com) that people will use to find you, and the username for your social profiles is available.
You can use a domain checker to see if your web domain is available – most web hosting services will let you check for free. If it is, great! You can purchase your domain through a variety of providers – my favourite is Siteground – and check to make sure your name is available on the social profiles you’d like to be on.
TIP #3: GET CLEAR ON YOUR BRAND IDENTITY
How do you want your brand to look? This is where you’ll design your brand elements. Use your core goals and values that you’ve already established and infuse them into the visual elements of your brand. Make sure they are reflected in your website, social media profiles, collateral content, business
cards, logo, fonts and colors, so there is a clear consistency across all of your visual touchpoints.
Elements to consider:
- Your Logo & its Variations
- Website
- Fonts
- Brand Colors & Guidelines
- Mission, Vision & Values
- Business Cards & Printed Collateral
- Tagline & Brand Voice
TIP #4: KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
Everything you create is important – BUT you need to know who it is you’re targeting as you create. Most importantly, because social media and search engines will use the information and keywords within your content to determine who to show it to. Get SUPER clear on who it is you’re trying to attract, and make sure every piece of content on your platforms is tailored to them.
TIP #5: ESTABLISH YOUR KEYWORD LIST
Next, what you need to do is get clear on the keywords that center around your business and the products or services that you offer. Start with six keywords that accurately describe your offers and your business. If you’re feeling stuck about how to figure out what these are – think about the topics that you might use in a blog, or how you describe your business to a friend. In my case, I use branding, marketing, online education, and even my name. You can use keyword tools or search engines like Google or Pinterest, type in your keywords, and see what auto populates in the search bar. This can help you define not only your keywords, BUT ALSO potential key phrases that can help you connect your content to your potential customers.
TIP #6: USE COPY TO INFUSE YOUR KEYWORDS EVERYWHERE
You may not know this – but I was a copywriter before I became a digital marketer. Use your keyword list that you’ve already established, and infuse it in your brand’s copy – ALL OVER THE PLACE! If you are consistently sharing what makes your brand unique, and using 5-10 keywords in your social copy, different website sections and email marketing, you’ll get your content if front of the right people who are ready to become your paying clients.
TIP #7: EMAIL MARKETING + LIST BUILDING
It’s super easy to get caught up in vanity metrics like social followers, likes, comments and monthly views – but did you know that you don’t actually OWN those platforms? What would you do tomorrow if your audience is there only, and they shut down? You might not be able to contact them. Instead, what I’d like you to think about is how you’ll move these followers onto a platform that you do own. This is where email marketing comes into play. You’re able to control the full user experience, invite them to take part in your best offers and share more valuable content. But how do you get your folks to hand over their email addresses?
Here’s a few options to get you started:
- Invite them off of social media platforms to a piece of content on your
website via swipe-up link - Offer a free resource in exchange for their email address
- Direct them to an affiliate link or a code
- Share a discount code to one of your products or services
TIP #8: COMMUNICATE YOUR “WHY” WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
Share your brand story with your audience. You know why you started your business. You know what sets you apart. There’s no one that believes in this business more than you. And your potential customers want to hear that! Do a gut check when you look through your messaging, and make sure it feels aligned with your brand goals. Regular communication with your audience will help you serve them before you go to sell, understand their needs and begin to build a strong (and lasting!) relationship.
TIP #9: STAY CONSISTENT WITH CONTENT
One thing I’d like for you to think about is how regularly can you commit to posting on your brand channels and website. Be realistic when you think of this timeline – because it can be really easy to start out strong and then trickle off when you get into a rut. Your audience would rather you consistently show up for them, even if it’s only once per week – because they know WHEN they will hear from you, and it will begin to build the trust factor. It’s never a good idea to go, go, go, and then go silent for 2-3 weeks. Your customers may see you then as unreliable – which is not what we want!
TIP #10: ANALYZE YOUR HARD WORK!
The last thing that I want you to do before you run off to the races is to analyze your work. MAKE SURE TO INSTALL A GOOGLE ANALYTICS TAG ON YOUR SITE. You can always collect more data or start analysis later – but you can never go back and get old data that you didn’t have coming in in the first place. Look at your content, your website, your external messaging. This is my last, and I think one of the most important, steps BECAUSE it lets you shift gears before you ever get too deep on a type of content if it’s not resonating with your audience or not performing well. This can be as easy as taking a quick look at which content pieces are bringing most people to your site – a gut check, or check engine light, if you will. Don’t overcomplicate it – otherwise it can feel too overwhelming. Try taking a peek once a week or once a month – either way, write it down on your calendar to keep this practice consistent until it becomes second nature.
Here’s a couple of prompts to guide you through your analytics section:
- What pieces of content are performing best?
- What platform are they on?
- Does your content have a high impression rate (eyes on it) or a high click
through rate (people taking action)? - Is there a high engagement rate (likes, comments, re-pins, shares), but low
click-through rate? - Where is your audience coming from? (Social media? Email? Search engines?)
Remember – don’t compare your day one to someone else’s year ten. Amazing brands with a loyal customer base aren’t built in a day, but consistent action every day will help you reach your business goals.
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