The first step in starting a successful business is building your brand. Before you get out there and begin selling your products and services to the public, you have to have a clear idea of what your business represents and who you are trying to reach. Your brand is key: it is the foundation upon which you will shape and mold all your business’ future goals and aspirations. Therefore, it has to be something you hone in on immediately. For some help getting started, we have provided a handful of tips that will assist you on your journey. 

4 Tips to Build Your Brand 

1. Know Your Audience. Above all else, you must know who you are planning to sell your products and services to. What age group best represents your customers? What are their desires and needs? Where do they go to find information? Put yourself in their shoes and picture their daily lives. 

If you are selling to college students, for example, you know they use social media and frequent events on campus. If you know where to find your target audience, you can reach them: focus on social media campaigns and consider getting the word out with stickers, magnets and business cards, things students could easily slip into their backpacks as they head to their next class. Then narrow your target audience: what kind of college students are you trying to reach? Is there a specific major or a group of selected interests your products might cater to? Perhaps you would like to focus more on college students who are new to the state, or new to the country. The possibilities are endless, but knowing your audience is the first step to success in building your brand. 

2. Develop a Unique Identity. Your brand identity includes what your customers will see and hear: the way you choose to showcase your business visually and the kind of voice your business will have. Consistency is important here; you want your audience to know who you are as soon as they come into contact with your brand. You will also want your brand to be eye-catching, something that will grab people and make them take notice. How iconic is the Starbucks logo, for instance? As soon as people see that design and that shade of green, they think coffee. 

When ruminating on your brand identity, focus on a color scheme, font choices, web design, logos and print marketing materials. Across all these channels, you want your brand to shine and stand out from the rest. Pick colors and fonts that are bold and expressive, yet appropriate for your products. Make your logo relatable and recognizable so that your customers will be able to connect to what they see. Create print materials that make your brand a favorite. 

3. Tell a Story. In research by OneSpot, it was reported that 92% of consumers want ads to feel like a story. Think about how memorable Super Bowl commercials are; the next day, everyone is talking about the ads that stood out because they told a (usually comedic) story. Your brand needs to say something in a way that is both entertaining and informative. 

Some of this goes back to knowing your audience. What kind of story will they be able to identify with? Think about their day-to-day lives, the things they see, hear and smell, the people they encounter, the places they visit. Use these things to reflect upon setting, dialogue, and action, just like a good storyteller would. Customers typically don’t like dishonesty, or being advertised to in a way that is directly trying to divert their attention. Come into their living rooms and speak to them like you would a friend or a family member; communicate to them how you can improve their lives and make a difference. Consider using testimonials, real stories about how your business has had a positive impact. 

4. Get Familiar with Your Competitors. Every business has its competitors, whether they be small local businesses or giant corporate entities. Compose a strategy for researching their practices and identifying what their strengths are as well as their weaknesses. How can your brand step in and solve those problems, or expand upon their strengths? 

The best thing you can do is visit local businesses yourself as a customer. Take note of how their brand influences your experience: do you feel satisfied with the quality of their services? Without a doubt, you will be able to learn a great deal by visiting your competitors, speaking to employees and learning as much as you can about what makes them tick. Then, look back at your research and ask yourself how you can build upon the work your competitors have already done to make your brand even better.

My Print Co is Here to Help Your Business Build its Brand

My Print Co can help you grow your brand and make your business thrive with our print marketing resources and expertise. We are here to assist you with creating printed promotional material that will help your business be the best it can be. Contact My Print Co today to get more information about print marketing materials and all our other services.