The 5 Elements of Branding

It’s time to get down to business and branding is the first step. As with any new venture, crafting the perfect brand requires more than a great idea to succeed. Here are five branding tips to make your brand stand out above the noise.

“I define a brand as the secret sauce of business,” said Veronica Gibson, owner of CX Branding Agency. “It’s the only thing that differentiates you from everyone else that’s doing what you’re doing.”

Have Confidence in Yourself and Your Business

Gibson says confidence is key to having a successful business and it comes as a result of knowing the purpose behind your brand.

“Find your brand story. It’s important to find out what makes you unique in the space,” said Gibson. “Why should anyone shop with you as opposed to someone else? Once you have that set, you get the confidence behind it. That’s usually when small businesses, including myself, see the trajectory of their business increase…when they’re confident in what they can offer.”

Know Your Audience

Knowing your customers makes all the difference when branding yourself and your business.

“Be yourself, conduct business as you want to conduct business, and see who is paying attention,” said Gibson. “Once you figure out through insight and analytics who your audience is, it’ll grow from there.”

Avoid Comparison at all Costs

Gibson warns that there are dangerous pitfalls to avoid when first starting a small business. The most important being the ever-present thief of joy: comparison.

“Comparison, in theory, will kill any kind of small business you make. It really diminishes any sense of confidence you had if you’re looking at someone else and what they’re doing,” said Gibson.

Leave Unrealistic Expectations at the Door

“A lot of people think of businesses as being something that you can do and succeed overnight, but to have longevity in any space you have to be realistic with yourself and the company,” said Gibson. “You cannot expect to go into something and make six figures out the gate. It happens for some people and I’m not saying it’s impossible, but you have to have realistic expectations and be kind to yourself during the journey.”

Be Consistent

Finally, don’t be afraid to be repetitive. In fact, some experts encourage brands to stay consistent with the brand they’ve created.

“Consistency is what makes people notice your brand over time,” said Gibson. “The human brain – that’s how it works. You see the same things over and over again and you start associating it with a certain company or brand.”

This type of thoroughness is usually accomplished with the use of logos and slogans, and while Gibson finds these tools important, she encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to stay true to where it all began – the brand story.

“If you’re going into a new brand or a new business and you pick your logo before taking time to see what your brand story is and who you’re marketing to and you end up changing your logo you lose that consistency,” said Gibson.

More information on how to support Black businesses during a pandemic can be found HERE.

As appeared first in the Michigan Chronicle by Lindsay Keener.