Top 7 common branding mistakes… and how to avoid making them!
1. Thinking Of Your Brand As A Cost And Not An Investment.
Business owners often cut corners to get their logo, visual identity and marketing materials (yes, this includes social media) developed for as close to free as possible, often unaware of how important a strong brand identity is to their business’s success strategy. Your brand is the vessel that holds economic value and your product/services aren’t going to sell themselves as soon as they hit the market, in fact the market won’t even know there is a new fish in the pond altogether! Your brand is the only business asset that does not automatically have to depreciate with time. A brand that is treated right can continue to increase in value.
2. Not Knowing Who Your Ideal Client Is.
Yes, you truly are talented enough to serve potentially anyone in your market, however your business will always be a better fit for some people and not so much for others and guess what? That’s absolutely ok! It’s like trying to paint a house with a sample pot of paint, you spread yourself too thin trying to cater to all walks of life when really you could make a bigger impact catering to just one room and painting with the same level of consistency. Your brand must be relevant to your potential clients and create an emotional connection with them. Knowing who they are and what aspirations, challenges and needs they have can help you create a brand that will easily connect with your market, grab their attention and create a positive perception of your business in their minds.
3. Social Media Will Save Me!
Yes, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest are wonderful tools to market your business and grow your community. But those alone do not form your whole marketing strategy, it is important to remember that social media goes hand in hand with branding and other forms of marketing to achieve a successful marketing campaign for your salon. You will still need to invest in high quality printed collateral, events and even the occasional direct mail piece. And don’t forget one of the most impactful business-growing tools available – exemplary customer service.
4. Appropriate Imagery
From your website, to newsletters, social media posts and brochures – if it has an image in it, it must be on brand. Low resolution images or images that don’t share a similar theme give the impression of being rushed, lazy and often quite random.
5. Too Much Commercial, Rather Than Customer Focus.
Your customers are the reason you have a brand, right? One of the biggest branding mistakes you can make is to neglect your customers and focus on your product and service. Sure, you want your product to be amazing, but don’t you want your customers to have an amazing experience? Ensure that you are creating the perfect customer experience with your brand by connecting with them emotionally through personal stories, blog posts and connection with them through email, social media, etc.
6. Design Inconsistency
We’ve all seen when businesses get lazy and decide to use a colour or a font outside of their usual style. Will it mean the end of the business and a dramatic crash in sales? Of course not, but over time if it continues and the business becomes lax with all aspects of their branding, it will impact their customer’s perception of the them. Being inconsistent with your branding comes across unorganised and unreliable, and you run the risk of your customers confusing your business with your competitors and other brands.
7. Getting Caught Up With The Latest Trends.
Eventually, trendy becomes common. Your brand will have a longer lifespan if it can stand the test of time. Trendy brands must to change with the times, which can be confusing to consumers and costly for the BUSINESS (aka YOU!). Branding is more than a logo and a slogan – it is a marketing discipline with proven techniques for effectiveness. Because it ties everything together with consistent look, feel, and personality, the company brand is certainly the most integral component in marketing.