Your brand is so much more than a fancy tagline and a logo. Once you develop your brand and integrate it properly, it should become an aspect of every single part of your business. Since your brand encompasses so much of your identity as a company, it’s important to get it right by avoiding these common branding mistakes.
1. Your Brand Is Sloppy
You can’t build a strong brand without insights from an equally strong strategy. Your brand should guide your company in every aspect, so defining your company’s purpose and values will make sure there’s intent behind your brand. Then you can support those company-wide values with thoughtful design. We’ve said it once before, and it’s still just as true: “There’s no point in just making something look good if the design decisions aren’t actively supporting your story.”
2. Your Brand Doesn’t Have A Voice
You already know how important it is to have a great business story, but your brand also needs a personality and voice that’s consistent with your story. Your brand’s voice should reflect your company’s culture, and set you apart from your competitors. Think about what you do differently, whether it’s your unique approach to problem-solving, or a personal touch you incorporate into your projects. Your brand’s voice and any design choices should actively support and reinforce what you do.
3. You Don’t Understand Your Audience
This goes hand-in-hand with developing your strategy. Your audience gives your brand purpose. It’s important to develop a clear understanding of who your target is and so you can make sure that your brand that appeals to them. Your brand’s value lies in whether or not it resonates with your target audience.
4. You Don’t Invest In Your Brand
One of the biggest brand mistakes you could make is treating development as a low priority. Your brand sets the standard for everything you do as a company, and committing time and resources to get things right is more than worth the effort. The last thing you want to do is introduce your audience to an incomplete and ill-prepared brand. Think of this as setting yourself up for long-term success.
5. Your Brand Is Static
Good brands are dynamic. Yours should constantly be growing, reacting to the changes happening around it. Context is constantly shifting, but if you develop a strong foundation, you’ve given your brand the necessary ability to be refined and enhanced as necessary, all without losing your voice.
It’s essential to have a clear and defined vision for your company. Once your vision is clear, you can use your brand as a starting point and a reference that will help you articulate that vision.
(sourced from Propoint via Forbes.com)