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Poor branding can sometimes be worse than having no brand at all. That’s why if you want to succeed in any industry, then it’s important that not only you create a unique brand but also work on its image on a consistent basis so that it becomes associated with positive attributes like reliance and trust. The following are 7 steps that you can take in this endeavor:
Develop a Professional Website
There is no dearth of top-notch website builders that allow you to create fully functional and beautiful websites in just a few hours. Most of the tools and themes offered by these builders like Weebly and Voog are completely free and easy to use. However, you shouldn’t create a simple website just because it’s easy. It’s important that your website looks unique and professional so that it improves brand image.
Remember, it’s usually the small businesses that use free tools for website building. If you don’t want to appear small and brandless, then you should create a website that has a proper domain name of the format: www.YourBusinessName.com and uses premium themes.
Engage with Your Target Audience
One of the biggest mistakes you need to avoid when launching an online business is not engaging with your target audience. This is because when you ignore your customers and keep the communication one-sided, then you are unable to determine whether your products are doing good or bad and if your customers are satisfied with your service.
On the other hand, when you ask for their feedback, respond to their comments, and host fun contests, then you are able to secure a special place in their hearts that goes a long way in improving brand image.
Choose the Right Logo
One of the most important aspects of every brand is the logo. Think of iconic brands like Nike, Apple, Microsoft, etc.- all of them have simple but memorable logos. Thus, you also need a logo that aptly portrays your brand’s vision and mission.
Of course, it also has to be unique and attractive as there are literally hundreds of thousands of brands today and it’s not easy to stand out when your logo looks generic.
Remember, there are different types of logos viz. lettermark, wordmark, brandmark, etc. but not all of them may be ideal for your business. So, do some homework before you design yours as rebranding can be quite expensive if you end up making the wrong decisions.
Use High-Quality Images
Images make your website interesting and inviting. When you share social media updates with photos, infographics, etc. then they are viewed by a large number of users compared to text content. However, the quality of the images you use also affect your brand image.
This is because when you use images that are blurry, have a low resolution, or simply lack creativity, then it can show that you don’t take your business seriously.
On the other hand, using high-quality images for your website, blog, and other assets helps to show that you are a credible brand that people can trust.
Similarly, if you are selling merchandise online, then by taking photos of your products with a good DSLR camera in well-lit areas, you can increase the number of sales by a huge extent.
Take Help from Influencers
One of the most basic things that every competitive business should do today is, to understand the influencer marketing and why it’s so effective. This is because it’s become one of the most important components of digital marketing campaigns that both big and small businesses are capitalizing on lately.
If you just want the gist of it, then influencer marketing is brand promotion by social media influencers which are basically users who have a large number of fans/followers.
When these influencers talk about a certain product or service, then they are able to “influence” the perceptions of their fans. So, by incentivizing them with monetary benefits or free products, you can have them share positive content about your products and improve brand image in the process.
Stop Selling and be Helpful
The commerce industry is replete with businesses whose main goal is to increase profits. However, if you want to improve your brand image, then you need to show that you don’t see your customers as mere money churners and value their patronage on a personal level.
So, instead of just trying to sell all the time, you can also create content that’s helpful to them. Examples include webinars, DIY videos, tips and advice shared on social media platforms, etc. You will see that sharing useful information will automatically reach wider markets and attract new customers.
Use Email Marketing
It’s smart to connect to your customers via emails. This is because email marketing offers good ROI and it’s quite effective too. You can use it to raise awareness for your brand and improve its image by analyzing key metrics like conversion rates, click-through rates, etc.
However, make sure that you use attractive email templates and pick the subject lines wisely. There is no point in sending the best emails if their subject lines aren’t compelling enough for the subscribers to open them in the first place.
Brand image matters more than you think. So, don’t relax after you have created the perfect brand. Keep at it so that your customers see the value in it and take pride in being a part of the enterprise that you have built.
