If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve got the entrepreneurial bug.
Becoming your own boss is a great way to have a career that’s personally fulfilling and financially rewarding. As the old saying goes, with great risk comes great reward—or in this case, rewards: Starting your own business isn’t without its risks. However, it doesn’t cost anything to think about it; if you read on, we’ll give you some advice on how to build your brand as an entrepreneur and become successful doing so!
As an entrepreneur, there are many things that will be new to you. Building your brand is one of them. While most people won’t know who you are yet (it might even feel like no one does), it’s important to start thinking about how you want the world to see you from day one—otherwise known as brand prep!
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First we develop the brand strategy, it’s the blueprint. It tells who we are, who we are for, and how we will stand out in a busy market place.
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Then we need a brand identity that shows the personality and will attract our ideal audience.
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Then we need brand marketing to create awareness, and put the product in front of the right people.
Brand Strategy
“Your brand strategy is your most powerful weapon.”
A branding strategy (a.k.a. brand development strategy) is the long-term plan to achieve a series of long-term goals that ultimately result in the identification and preference of your brand by consumers. A successful branding strategy encompasses the brand’s mission, its promises to its customers, and how these are communicated.
Often misconceived, a branding strategy is not the sum of your logo, color palette, or website; though these creative elements are integral to a successful branding strategy. A branding strategy revolves around all the intangible elements that over time drive brand awareness, brand equity, and brand sentiment.
Brand Identity
Brand identity is the visible elements of a brand, such as color, design, and logo, that identify and distinguish the brand in consumers’ minds. Brand identity is distinct from brand image. The former corresponds to the intent behind the branding and the way a company does the following—all to cultivate a certain image in consumers’ minds:
- Chooses its name
- Designs its logo
- Uses colors, shapes, and other visual elements in its products and promotions
- Crafts the language in its advertisements
- Trains employees to interact with customers
Brand Marketing
“People like brands that are relatable, personable, and human.”
Brand marketing is promoting a brand’s products or services in a way that elevates the brand as a whole. It involves creating and maintaining brand-consumer relationships and marketing brand attributes—the traits that people think of when they picture a particular brand. In this guide, we’ll provide an overview of all things branding, including brand marketing strategy, types of brands, brand awareness, brand equity, brand relevance, and brand recognition, as well as highlight branding solutions from Google, Bing and Yahoo Ads.
