BRANDING CHECKLIST FREE DOWNLOADABLE
I cannot stress how important branding is to any business, especially a new business. If you develop a strong brand from day 1 you increase your chances for success dramatically. Here is why you need to focus on your brand every step you take in your business: Improved recognition. It's amazing how many companies are known simply by their logo. Think of companies like Chevron, McDonald's, UPS, Apple and a host of others. All that is required is to simply see their logo and you instantly know who those companies are. That is the power of a good brand. That's why your brand should be on everything you send out, and everything you put online. A good brand builds trust. One of the best ways to create credibility among your customers is to give them a brand that looks legitimate. People won't respond well to your online business if you have animated gifs or amateur logos plastered everywhere. This is particularly true for digital products. The reason for this is that we have certain emotions specifically designed to react when we see certain things. It's a part of the human condition that is hardwired into our very being. Create a good brand and you will create a lot of influence from that hardwired response. Branding enhances the value of your company. A strong brand will mean more business down the road. Improved recognition and building trust with your potential customers will do wonders for your bottom line. Alos, if you ever grow to the point that you can have your company offered publicly on the market, a good brand will boost the financial value of the company far more than your hard assets. The valuation at this point becomes much less clinical, and more subjective. That's good news for you. Look at how much interest there was in Google and Facebook when they were launched publicly, as they both had a solid brand that the public loved, even if (at the time) their financials weren t great. Branding gets customers. That's right, if you want to get new customers flooding to your website, you must build a strong brand. You have to establish yourself as a leader in the industry. This is one of the best ways to generate new customers. You will find word-ofmouth spreading like wildfire, and more brand recognition as a result. One hand will feed the other and your business will start to grow.
Your brand is the single most important thing you are building within your business. It encompasses everything from your products to advertising to potential future endeavors. So focus on your branding and your business will flourish the way you want it to. Business Name Is your business name short? Shorter names typically work better. Is your business name catchy and easy to remember? Does your business name have growth potential? Don't corner yourself by using a name that won't let your business grow in the future. Tagline Is your tagline short? No more than 5 words is usually needed. Is your tagline catchy and memorable? Often taglines are more memorable than business names. Does your tagline reflect you and your business's personality? Does your tagline balance with your logo? Your tagline needs to tell a story with your logo, as they will generally be together. Logo Is your logo descriptive? Does your logo tell (or give an indication) of what your business does? Is your logo simple and memorable? Overcomplicated logos are easily forgotten. Does your logo work with no color? Is your logo scalable? Is it still clear when it is small e.g. in the corner of your website, or on social media. Is your logo relevant to your industry? Colors/Fonts Do the colors on your logo/website reflect the industry you are working in and the reaction you want from your potential clients? Different colors have different effects on how people will react to your business. Do you know your color codes to ensure your colors stay consistent? Does your font reflect your brand? e.g. If your brand is laid back, you need a font that reflects it. Are you using the same 2 or 3 fonts through your website, Social Media and other marketing material? Are your fonts easy to read?
Your branding is about so much more than business name, logo and tagline... Brand Voice (Brand voice is the consistent expression of your brand through your words and style) Do you have a clear message you want to convey? Is my brand voice aligned with my Ideal Client Avatar? Does my brand voice align with the products I want to sell? Does your brand a great story to go along with it? Does your brand voice carry a lot of passion, honesty and integrity? Is your brand voice human? Even if you are selling digital products you want to focus on how your items will actually touch real people. Is your Brand Voice true? If something can not be validated you should leave it out. Is your Brand Voice unique? Your voice needs to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Does your Brand Voice and story adequately convey how your products can make a difference in the lives of your customers? Is your logo and tagline the same on your website, social media networks and all other marketing material? Your Story behind your Brand (Your story forms part of your Brand Voice) Does your brand have a story behind it? Your sales will increase dramatically when your products/services has a story behind them. Is your brand story honest and authentic? Do you use your own name in your social media handles (this works great for coaches and consultants)? Or, at least, use your person name in your Social Media bios and about us page? Is your story simple? You don't need to over-complicate your story. Keep it simple and let it speak for itself. Do people walk away with only one message when they hear your story? Is your story true? Does it sound like you? Does your story resonate with your audience? When you tell your story, can your audience put themselves in your shoes? Your story needs to be relatable to them or it won't work.
Your branding is about so much more than business name, logo and tagline... Ideal Client Avatar Have you identified who your ideal client avatar is? You need to determine who your ideal client is. Without it, who are you aiming your business, brand and advertising to? Your message will be disjointed and you won't get the results you want. Does your brand align with who your ideal client is? Consistency Is your brand consistent from your website, to your emails, to your social media? Is the way you 'talk' on your website the same 'voice' you use on Social Media? Do you use the same key images throughout your website, SM and other marketing material? Other Is there something about your brand that makes your different to your competitors?