5 Strategies for Better Ecommerce Branding
A brand is a reason to choose one ecommerce store over another. It creates a mental picture of a company in the minds of consumers. Very rarely is this mental picture truly indicative of the reality of that business; in fact, the beauty of branding is that it doesn’t have to be.
Branding is much more than a fancy logo or a catchy slogan. A brand is created and influenced by people, culture, perception, words, style, visuals, and, right now, social media.
Some brands can be a completely organic creation — the business simply becomes the embodiment of the people behind it without any conscious attempt at ‘branding’. Other businesses spend a fortune engineering the public’s perception of their business, often with mixed results.
Some brands have a life cycle, experiencing the highs as they grow, before slipping into obscurity as they mature. Others brands are timeless and never die, developing their own enduring entity, independent of those working behind the scenes.
Why is branding important?
Branding is important because it makes your ecommerce store more than just another business. Successfully branded businesses:
- Inspire loyalty in their customers
- Can sell their products at a higher price point
- Increase the valuation of their company
In this post, we’ll take a look at five methods of transforming your ecommerce store into a powerful brand, with plenty of ideas you can implement right away…
1. Think about what you want to be
Creating a brand is all about telling a story, and uniquely positioning your products in the minds of your customers. As with any story, this does not have to be an exact reflection of real life.
It’s important to do some research to help you decide what you want to be and how best to present your business. Inconsistency has been the death of many brands. Once you have decided what you want your brand to become, you must stick to your guns and be prepared to overcome any challenges that presents. Start marketing the business, stick to the message and do not be tempted to stray of course.
2. The power of great design
Budgets for startup businesses are incredibly tight and have to be stretched across a wide range of functions, but don’t be tempted to perform any DIY design unless you know what you’re doing. You cannot create a stylish, premium ecommerce brand with horrible design. If you do not have the necessary skills, you need a designer. Graphic design or branding agencies will cost you a pretty penny, but a freelance designer with just as much experience and know-how will charge a good deal less. The same can be said for the copy. If you want words that reflect your brand, pay for a professional. Again, freelancers are your best bet. All designers and writers have different styles, so once you have a freelance team you can trust, work to establish ongoing relationships to keep your message consistent.
There’s more to design than a fancy logo. The designer should play an important part in creating the look and feel of your site. Yes, it’s your baby, but they’ll know what works. Everything from the type of font to use throughout to the prominence of images, signage and banners must be carefully considered.
3. Sell a lifestyle, not a product
The most successful brands that inspire the greatest loyalty are those that do more than just sell products; they sell a lifestyle. This is actually a very sophisticated form of marketing that can only be achieved when brands are the true embodiment of the people behind them. Customers can see through forced attempts to build a lifestyle brand. To be perceived as genuine, you must eat, drink and sleep your brand, presenting a cohesive message across all channels.
If you’re building a product around your own lifestyle, it’s essential to live your brand. This is precisely the kind of commitment that people buy into. This then gets noticed and picked up on social media.
4. You’re human, remember?
If you’re committed to building a brand then your ‘about’ or ‘vision’ pages are the most valuable real estate you have. People love a good story, and if your story is compelling they might just spend some money. Studies have found that people who visit an about page before making a purchase are more likely to place larger orders. Why? Because all humans are interested in other people, whether they like it or not.
Person-to-person interaction has never been as scarce or valuable as it is today, but customers are still desperately seeking that personal touch. So, talk to them like you would a friend. Inject some personality and wit into your messages. Instead of playing it safe, just be yourself.
5. Give something back
Your brand isn’t just your logo; it’s the feeling you leave people with after they interact with you. Every business can chose how to treat its customers. You can bleed them dry and try to make every last penny you can with interruptive marketing and regular sales; or, you can do the basics right and treat your customers as you like to be treated yourself.
Your whole operation has a part to play in the customer experience. If you’re a premium brand, then quick delivery, hassle-free customer service and no sales pressure should accompany high quality products. If you’re competing solely on price, then branding becomes far less important.
Giving something back is not always about customer incentives and rewards; it’s about honest service and staying true to your brand. Make people feel good and they’ll soon be back for more.
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