You Are What You Brand Yourself As

As the saying goes, you are what you eat, and when it comes to business, you are what you brand yourself and your company as. Your brand is what people will know and associate your product and service offering with, branding can make or break a business. Your selected band sets the price and sells the offerings you have. Think about, what would Nike be if it wasn’t Nike? Or Apple? Or Starbucks? In their simplest form, these are just companies that sell apparel, technology and coffee, but through their branding, they have become so much more to the consumer and taken on a life of their own. They have created their own culture, their own cult in essence, of loyal customers who will only wear Nike sportswear, only use iPhones or only drink Starbucks coffee. The most successful branding creates its own band of loyal customers who support the brand passionately, they evoke emotion. 

The most well-established brands make a social statement and develop a relationship with their customers, for example, people will wait outside in lines for over 24 hours waiting for iPhones, yet no one would do that for a Nokia or a Motorola phone. They are able to develop themselves into a brand that sets them apart from everyone else in the market, something that just makes customers feel special to be a member of the club who gets to own that product or use that service. People will wholeheartedly defend brands as if they know them personally, for example, in the Apple vs. Android debate. 

Entrepreneurs and companies have to work harder and dedicate more time and resources to branding than anything else because no matter what you sell, there's always someone who sells it cheaper. When you have a well-established brand with loyal supporters every part of the business gets easier, because not only is it recognizable, but it sets the standard. 

Different Methods For Successfully Branding Your Business 

Brand by association 

Branding by association is the easiest way to increase the reach and influence of your brand. By collaborating and associating with companies that share the same message and feel like your own, you automatically raise your brand equity. For example, if you create a shoe store, and collaborate with Nike, your brand equity automatically goes up because people will now associate your shoes with Nike. 

Digital Media 

Being featured in different articles, podcasts and other forms of media is great exposure and builds brand equity as an expert in your field. This is especially true if the content is published in a well-established media source that is respected in that specific industry

Social Media

It is both easy and affordable to create brand awareness and establish credibility on all social media channels including TikTok and Instagram. It also allows people to interact with you and get to know your brand on a deeper level so that they feel a connection and develop a relationship with it.

Google search 

If your business is not on google or is not searchable on google, especially on the first page, then you are potentially missing out on thousands of clients and dollars. Google gives you visibility to potential customers and having high ratings and good customer reviews on Google gives you high brand equity. 

Basic Corporate Kit 

A basic corporate kit contains the fundamentals of branding including logo, website, business cards, brochures etc., - having this basic kit is the foundation for building brand equity. If you have a business, but no website or clean logo, it's hard to build a brand, recognizability and thus loyalty and credibility amongst customers. 

Personal Image 

No matter how much people say don't judge a book by its cover, our human nature says otherwise time and time again. Make sure you look at the part. If you are a lawyer but dressed like a plumber, people will not hire you or pay a high price. If you are a plumber that is dressed like a lawyer, people will doubt your skills. If you are a plumber that is dressed like a plumber, your brand equity and credibility are increasing. When you come dressed the part, this is the easiest way to establish your brand. Personal image, just like anything else, still requires time and money and is worth the investment.

Publish/republish articles and blogs 

He who controls the information controls the market. When you educate and provide information in your field, this builds brand trust and reliability with customers, but also with other brands and media outlets. 

Public speaking 

When you speak in front of an audience, you are automatically perceived as an expert in your field. By speaking about relevant and related happenings in your industry you can build a rapport with important clients and others in the same field. 

Track record 

It's important to have a well-documented track record as proof to show everyone what you have done, and accomplished, and establish your well-deserved place in the industry. This can include successful campaigns, or awards from recognized organizations. 

Consistency in business dealings 

The reason why most franchises outperform stand-alone businesses is through their consistency. McDonald’s doesn't have the best burgers you've ever tasted, but no matter the day, time, location, or country a Big Mac will always taste like a Big Mac. Having that consistency is key to creating brand equity and value because people like knowing what to expect every time. Master business brands understand that even the smallest things can make a significant impact, such as website design, packaging, location ambiance etc. Every little detail of your brand matters to the customer and the overall image of your brand, including recognizability. 

Belief selling 

Your brand stands for who you are and what you believe in. Stating your business values, vision, mission and beliefs can help you to better sell your brand. People want to have something to believe in, and like feeling as if they have connections with a business. 

Publish a book/e-book 

The moment you publish a book, you become an expert in your field. 98% of the top 1% of wealthiest people in the world have authored a book vs. 2% of average earners have published a book. If you feel you need more time before you publish a full book, then publish a shorter ebook. 

Have a story 

Every great brand has a great story to tell, from Apple to Facebook, stories sell and they intrigue and interest others in the brand. Stories engage people with your brand and make them feel connected to the culture and message portrayed by that company. 

Evoke Emotion 

Define a feeling you want people to have when they're around your business and interacting with your brand. You can make people feel a variety of different ways like 'luxury', excitement, appreciation, relaxation etc. Make sure that feeling is maintained throughout the entire client experience and if the business is a chain or franchise, that it extends to all locations. 

Be Social Proof 

When other people's brands validate you, through a collaboration, story feature, testimonial, or referral, it creates powerful brand equity. Having connections across social media backs up your business and can gain the brand more traction with wider audience groups. 

Charity 

Charity is a great way to show what your brand stands for. For example, McDonald’s boosts their brand image by helping families and their sick children through Ronald McDonald House Charities. Therefore, if it helps families, then families want to eat at the restaurant. However, if it was associated with a charity that had to do with obesity or heart disease, it would not do well for the brand given the products they sell. 

When you are well branded, you can determine your value and price and do not have to compete in price wars because you are no longer a commodity, but an icon. Aim to have a multi-million dollar brand even if you have $0 in sales because one day you can absolutely reach that goal. 

For more business tips and tricks, check out Build and Grow Business. 

Credit to Money, People, Deal by Stefan Aarnio for source information.