Branding is a marketing buzzword that gets bandied about a ton these days.

Mostly because suddenly, everyone is a brand. Or they’re “repping” a brand. Or they’re crowing about what their brand stands for and why it matters in their marketplace.

However, lots of small business owners assume branding refers to a logo, color palette, and other aspects of a company’s Corporate Identity. In other words, your brand is your business’s visual representation — the logo on your business card or the colors on your website.

And while the “look and feel” of your organization’s visual representation is an element of your brand, it’s only one part of a much greater whole.

In total, your brand represents who you are, what you do, and what you stand for. A snazzy logo or hip color palette doesn’t communicate (no matter how snazzy or hip).

Thus, to build a better — more recognized, trusted + celebrated — brand, you need to think broadly about the who, what, where, and why that sets your business apart from your competitors and makes your organization unique.

To help you build a roaring brand that nabs your biz the attention it so justly deserves, here are five keys to guide your branding process:

1 Define Your Mission

Why are you in business doing what you do? And if your answer is: “to make money,” you should close up shop right now and move along.

I issue this blunt directive because if your sole motivation is money, it will quickly become evident to your prospects. And nobody wants to work with a business that’s strictly in it for the money. Moreover, if a paycheck is all that’s driving you to slog through day after day,  you’re destined to burn out in short order.

So dig a bit deeper. You probably have an aptitude for doing what you’re doing. And that aptitude empowers you to help people. That’s your mission statement: Our mission is [to provided XYZ service] to help our clients [achieve XYZ goal].

2 Tell Your Story

Every business has a story. Even yours.

Here’s the story of one of my former clients…

A shopping center development company was doing a very brisk trade building and selling retail strip centers. The development company typically sold the strip centers they built fully leased or with at least an anchor tenant in place.

But the development company quickly realized that real estate wasn’t the main business for most of their clients. In fact, their buyers were busy professionals purchasing real estate as a sideline investment. And as such, these folks needed both leasing and property management support.

So the development company spun off a firm exclusively dedicated to retail shopping center leasing and property management.

30 years later, the development company that off a once sideline business is long gone. But that sideline enterprise has cultivated a robust business that’s still thriving.

All because the firm’s founder saw a need in the marketplace and filled it. And they crafted an engaging narrative illustrating the problem they solved that resonated with their ideal clientele.

In short, there’s is a unique and compelling story that sets this business apart from its competitors.

So, what’s your business’s story?

3 Identify Your Ideal Client

Jaguar and Toyota have different clientele.

Jaguar buyers are affluent and willing to pay more for a luxury automobile that denotes superior quality (and, whether they admit it or not, implies wealth and status).

Toyota buyers are primarily middle class. They’re interested in an affordable and durable car that reliably gets them where they’re going.

As such, the branding of these two automakers is vastly different. Jaguar is sophisticated and aspirational. While Toyota is straightforward, down-to-earth, and practical.

And on the same coin, your branding is primarily dictated by your ideal client type… What’s their age? Their income level? Their values? Where do they live? What do they want? What do they hope to achieve?

Older clients are apt to be more serious. Affluent clients are likely to be more sophisticated. Ambitions clients are bound to be aspirational and upwardly mobile.

And answering these questions is essential to developing your brand.

4 Develop Your Messaging

Is your brand…

• Serious and straight-laced?
• Playful and cheery?
• Warm and nurturing?
• Educational and instructive?

Wherever your brand lands on this spectrum, your messaging should communicate your tone and approach accordingly.

5 Create Your Corporate Identity

Just as with your messaging, your visual representation should reflect your brand’s tone and aim to connect with the type of client you’re trying to reach.

Bold, bright colors and whimsical designs are fun and inviting, and speak to aspirational audiences.

Rich, warm colors and simple, elegant designs convey sophistication and appeal to affluent audiences.

Straightforward, utilitarian designs resonate with both serious, straight-laced audiences, and price-conscious, no-frills audiences.

Ultimately, your brand’s visual identity says volumes about your business and sends cues that, if properly executed, beckons to your ideal clientele.

Need Help Branding Your Business?

If you’re aiming to launch a new business, defining your brand is where you should start.

And if you’re in business and haven’t addressed the issues above, it’s pretty likely the marketplace is confused as to what you’re business is really about.

In either case, I can help!  And together, we’ll craft a brand that elevates your biz to the stratosphere.

So, let’s chat… 310.466.7893 | ryan@ryananys.com