Whether you’re creating a new business, or you’re assessing how well things are going in an existing one, the process of branding can be both incredibly exciting, but potentially very problematic. Successful brands have the power to quickly become global phenomenons that showcase their amazing products, but poorly built brands can see your products gathering dust on empty shelves. So, to help make sure you build a powerful brand from the outset, here are four common branding pitfalls and how to avoid them.
1. Failing to research
Even with years of industry experience, starting a business is a process that should not be taken lightly, and research is crucial. By properly assessing your customer needs, as well as how other businesses in your industry are competing, you can get a clear idea of what it is your business should stand for and what will make it unique. The lessons learned at this stage will need to eventually filter through to your branding, so don’t cut corners.
2. Thinking about your tastes, rather than your customers
At the end of the day, it is your customer and not you who will be making the purchase, and your branding needs to stand out and appeal to them. If research has come back and suggests that your target consumer will not be happy with “x” colour scheme or “y” in the logo, then don’t do it. You need to trust your market research and take a moment to step away from adding an element to your branding just because you want it.
3. Cost-cutting every aspect
As with any new or existing business, keeping an eye on the financials is important, as a poorly managed balance sheet will see even the best brands go under. However, this doesn’t mean you should cost-cut to the max on branding. Instead, you need to accept that branding is the first thing your customers see and that by doing it on the cheap you will be potentially missing out on tonnes of custom further down the line. You should find a way to work in a decent branding budget and decide how you will keep costs within it.