Failproof Brand-building
There are so many online stores these days. Unless you’ve found a gap in the market, it’s almost impossible to come up with something nobody else does. You do what you love and put all your efforts to make the best product. No wonder you take pride in what you create and you want to show it off to others. And sell it to people then, of course.
You can always sell your product for a lower price to get ahead of your competitors but there’s another way to become number one in your business area and actually make money at the same time. The most powerful weapon you have is already in your hands, you just need to work on it constantly. It’s your brand.
The Success Equation
People able to combine their product with professional customer approaches and clear branding are most the likely to be successful in business. It doesn’t matter whether you just started your business or how many products are in your portfolio, you can still be an expert.
There are many things that can be done to help you boost your business, especially in terms of “simple” brand-building. Without further ado, let’s get right into it.
Brand Name
Pick a catchy name that’ll distinguish you from your competitors. Forget SEO. Don’t reduce it so that it’s easy to remember, and for the same reason it also needs to be easy to pronounce. Make it original and don’t use anything too universal. Also, think of all your possibilities ahead, for example when you sell knitted sweaters you shouldn’t name your brand “knitted-sweaters” because you might want to add knitted socks, gloves and scarves to your product-base in the future. Make sure that the brand won’t outgrow its name.
To do all this it might help you to make a simple list of all your competitors. What are their brands’ names and logos? What colors do they use? Do they have a slogan, catchphrase or motto? Use all this information to make sure you’re different. Be special!
If it’s too late to give you such tips and you’ve already pick a name that doesn’t fit for some reason, make sure you have a unique visual style. You can for example use diverse colors, specific tonality or a mascot in your logo.
Vision, Mission, Solution
Customers want to fall in with your brand’s story. Do you sell your product only for money or is there a greater purpose behind it as well? Think about it for a minute and write it down if it helps (what the purpose of your brand is, why it should matter to others, how it is helpful). Your vision gave you power to create something, now it’s your mission to get it out there so that people can make use of it. Show the human side of your business.
Don’t forget that apart from being online, there are many ways of being seen. If possible, meet people to make sure they know you’re real and not just virtual. Take advantage of printed media — its credibility is way higher. If you have one, meet people in your brick-and-mortar store or a showroom, if you don’t, then be part of gatherings, trade fairs, and conferences related to the area of your business, and meet your customers there.
Make Shopping A Sensation
Do something extra and make shopping in your online store fun. Empathize with your customers for a while. Is there anything that could be done better, e.g. quicken processing of an order or minimizing annoying paperwork during a complaint? Simple, funny product descriptions will also help you to make shopping more enjoyable for your customers.
Consider this — when was the last time a customer sent you a thank you note/email saying you had surprised them by something? You should definitely ask for your customers feedback and use it to provide the best solution to their needs. Plus, make sure you offer something for someone with no intention to purchase.
Also, in order to make the shopping process as smooth as possible, don’t forget to follow so called see-think-do-care philosophy. It’ll lead to deepening customers’ trust and loyalty. Just in case you’ve never heard of it before, here’s a brief simplified summary:
SEE — show off your brand (social media, blog, videos, articles, photo galleries, CRS)
THINK — guide clients (newsletters, references, comparison, reviews, detailed descriptions)
DO — communicate (lead, call, chat, meet, help with decision making, give away)
CARE — post-shopping touch (references, sale notifications, upselling, exclusive how-tos)
Follow trends & community
Find a community close to your business area and do something for them. It has to be sincere and come from who you really are. It will repay you as it might not only bring you new customers but also notably improve the public impression of your brand.
Also, support the grapevine around your brand. You can for example include a simple note in the package saying something like: “Hey man, brag about what you just bought and share it on Instagram or Facebook! Use hashtag #brand_loyal and we’ll send you a discount voucher!”
Summary
Be creative in terms of brand-building. Pick the right name for your brand. Share your mission and show the human side of your business. Listen to your customers and meet them in person if possible. Make the shopping process smooth and fun, and don’t forget to offer something to window-shoppers as well. Follow trends and community, be heard and be seen. Good luck!
