1. NOT DEFINING THEIR BRAND STRATEGY BEFORE STARTING ON DESIGNS
1st impressions count
0.013 seconds is how long it takes for our brains to process images. So can you afford to not get this right? Are your visuals and initial messages creating the right impression in your target audiences' minds?
You're not just competing with 1000's of other service providers like yourself. You're also competing with 100s of emails, social media notifications and 10s of tabs open on their screen. You have to capture your audience's attention quickly and make them feel like they can trust you.
You need to make a great 1st impression.
This is where branding steps in
If you haven't defined what you want your brand to be known for, then what are you basing your design decisions on? Defining your brand from the outset makes those decisions so much easier, as everything is then aligned with the look and feel of the brand.
Having a great brand foundation in place helps to create a base that everyone in your team can use and work from.
It gives you a roadmap that can help guide your marketing and sales team understand your unique position in a unique and authentic way.
2. NOT USING A CLEAR SET OF BRAND GUIDELINES
This feeds on from the previous point in that once you have defined your brand, then your branding and visual identity needs to be outlined in a clear set of guidelines to keep everyone on the same page.
Being consistent helps to create trust in your audience. Your audience will come to know what to expect from you and it helps them become familiar with your brand.
3. DIY ROUTE
I get it. There are a million and one things to when running a business, as well as pay for. Not everyone has the finances to do everything they want to all of the time. So, yes, why not design your own logo and visuals to get started with?
There are so many free and low cost options out there for you to use. It's so easy these days and there are many accessible options to choose from.
The problem with this approach is that most people who do it aren't designers. Or your unique business and value hasn't been taken into consideration and the output has been produced in a more conveyor belt style.
Sadly, this can lead to a logo/brand design that doesn't look professional. Is that really the impression you want to give of your business?
4. PIECEMEALING YOUR BRAND
There are a lot of moving parts that make up a brand. And some spill out into marketing or business strategy. It can be tempting to work on various parts of your brand yourself by using different people for different parts or telling yourself that you don't need help with it.
The problem with this approach is that it generally leads to an inconsistent brand identity, which could lead to mistrust of your brand. There's also the potential to miss opportunities to bring out elements of your brand that could have an impact. Each brand touchpoint should reinforce the brand's values, personality, and unique selling points.
Piecemeal branding often results in a diluted or disjointed brand identity. Without a unified vision guiding the development of brand elements, the overall brand identity may lack depth, meaning, or resonance with the target audience.
5. HIRING THE WRONG PERSON FOR THE JOB
Branding is often misunderstood in terms of what it is and what it involves. Some think of it as your logo or website. It can often get confused with marketing. And some think of it only necessary for the larger companies.
Because of this, branding gets added to another consultant's job.
But hiring someone who is an expert in their field can make a huge difference when it comes to delivering a strong brand.
6. CREATING A BRAND ONLY THEY LIKE
It's hard to be objective about your own brand. Especially when it's comes to the visual identity. Suddenly everyone has an opinion on it!
I know you will want to like your brand and identity, as this is a way of connecting with it and wanting to promote it. But you're not your target customer. It's about putting yourself in their shoes and looking at your brand from their viewpoint to see if it will resonate, if it is something they need in their lives and how it is different from other options out there.
7. BUILDING YOUR BRAND ON ONLY ONE PLATFORM
Branding is about the whole experience you create for your audience. It includes all the possible touch points they might come across. Therefore, when it comes to branding, it's key to look at the whole picture. What all the touch points and elements are saying as a whole? What message is being given?
Also, relying solely on one platform for branding can limit your reach and expose your brand to unnecessary risks. By not diversifying your brand presence across multiple platforms, you miss out on opportunities to engage with different audiences and tap into new markets. Additionally, if that platform experiences technical issues or a decline in popularity, your brand could suffer from a loss of visibility and credibility.
I hope this post has helped! If you have any questions, feel free to message me or email me at vardeep@thebrandingfox.com
