Do you ever wonder why nobody “gets” your business? Maybe your logo is hard to read, your colours don’t vibe well, or perhaps the bottle opener keychains you gave everyone at the Christmas party keep breaking. If this is you: Sorry, not sorry… But your branding sucks!
When it comes to branding in this day and age… You need to be on point in order to stay on top of the competition. After all, lousy branding choices can result in bad business, and bad business is abysmal news when you're an entrepreneur. You put a lot of hard work and time into running your business and developing consumer trust, and your branding should reinforce those relationships while working just as hard as you do!
In this episode of The Brand Burrow Podcast, Brittini and Dana of Fox and Forth sit down to discuss WHY your branding sucks, and offer a few pointers on how to get your branding back on track. Take a seat, because we’re about to spill the tea!
Your Brand Colours Don't Pop.
Although it may seem obvious to not align your business visuals with colours that may be less than savoury, there are certain things to avoid when branding your business. For example, if your product is bold or powerful, you’ll typically want to choose colours that correlate with that message. However, there is a fine line between the right and wrong amount of colours to include in your brand palette.
Narrowing down your brand colours to be within 3-5 on your palette is a best practice for choosing which hues you’d like to represent your brand.
The Solution: Make Good Choices!
When you’re in a position to choose brand colours for your brand and business, a key piece of advice that Brittini mentions in the podcast is to consider working with a graphic designer who understands colour psychology. A great thing to keep in mind is to consider the public perception of your business. Tying this concept to logo design, entrepreneurs should ensure that they have different versions of their logo that offer a singular colour and a version that offers their branding palette.
Although this may seem excessive to have your logo in a monochromatic form as well as a branded colour, this is something that is in your best interest, as this can greatly affect the cost of having your logo printed on various branding items, such as t-shirts or even print media.
Your Marketing Materials & Promo Items Are A Flop.
There could be many reasons why this is happening. First, the problem might be that you’re sorting your shopping items from cheapest to most expensive. Don’t get us wrong, we also enjoy a great bargain, but when it comes to your branding items, this isn’t always the best way to get your business on an item. Second, not knowing your audience is a key component as to why your branded items may not be getting used.
An example that is used in the podcast is this: If you’re the owner of a dance studio, putting your logo on cheap tire pressure gauges may not be the most effective and logical way to get your brand out there. This will only cause confusion among your target audience, so understanding who it is that you’re speaking to with your branded items is a key takeaway from this segment.
The Solution: Let It Resonate!
It’s no surprise that we’ll tell you that outsourcing to a branding professional is one of the best ways to ensure that the items you choose to brand are on point. By consulting with people within the industry, not only are you getting expert advice on what it is that may resonate with your target market, but you’re also exploring their wealth of knowledge on what is trending right now. Not to mention, professionals within the industry have access to more than just your run-of-the-mill items that your competition may be branding.
The best part of all? It’s really not that much more expensive to work with a professional who can help you select items that will resonate and that people actually want!
As mentioned in the podcast, branded items like those at HomesAlive Pets and Peter's Drive-In are winning choices because of their usefulness to the target audience and the choice of items that these brands selected.
Photo 1 by echotheaussieexplorer via Instagram | Photo 2 by Peter's Drive-In via Twitter
Your Messaging Falls Flat.
To the point: You’re not planning. When it comes to developing a key message for your company, entrepreneurs will want to ensure that your messaging is what your client’s takeaway is about your business and what they remember. Sometimes, choosing a keychain or a magnet to convey that message just doesn’t make the impact that you think it will on your target audience.
By investing a little time into considering what will resonate with your audience, and investing a little dollar spend on these items, business owners will be surprised how much of an impact their messaging will have on who they do business with.
The Solution: Plan Ahead!
Plan out your delivery! What are the three most important things that you want your target market to know about you, and how are you going to deliver that to them? By narrowing down your key messaging to just 3 points, not only are you making it easier for your audience to process, but you’re also making it easier for your audience to remember. When it comes to incorporating your key messaging through promotional items, consider the usage of that item. Is it something that they’ll use?
A great takeaway from this portion of this blog is to try to choose items to put your logo on that people will interact with multiple times a day. This is a great way to ensure that your target audience will recognize your logo, and feel compelled to interact with your brand.
The Wrap-Up.
Your branding permeates every part of your business, regardless of the industry you’re in. From your logo to the products and marketing materials your choose, your brand has an association with the goals and success of your business! If your brand is messy, inconsistent and just isn’t working for you, consulting a marketing professional, or considering a rebrand may be in order.
We hope that the above tips can help steer you straight if you’re making these mistakes with your brand.
Feel like watching this podcast live? Check out our YouTube Channel below!
At Fox and Forth, we know what it takes to grow! When it comes to branding, our experts can offer top-shelf advice to ensure that all aspects of your brand are hitting the mark, just the way you want it to. Get in touch with us today to take your branding to the next level. www.foxandforth.com
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