Company branding has to be effective. In the current financial landscape, it has never been more important to stand out from the crowd. First impressions really are the most important so how do you elevate your offering above a sea of competitors? What is distinctive about you and your personality that will help potential customers choose you?
People buy from people! If your offering from the outside looks exactly the same as all of your competitors you force the consumer to make a decision solely based on price. You need to ensure that you are the company in your marketplace that people want to buy from, or at the very least make sure that you are the one that they remember when the time comes that they are ready to make a purchase.
Here at Eighty3 we certainly don’t shy away from being loud and proud about our business brand so here are our top tips.
Lack of authenticity breeds mistrust, it is as simple as that. And if you don’t have trust, you don’t have anything. Make sure that your company values not only reflect who you are but what you believe in. We have all seen the boring corporate shots of a team standing around a computer, smiling and pointing at the screen. It is overdone and it just isn’t natural. Show your potential customers when it is like to come into your place of work, or what it will be like when then come to you. If you can get the buy in of your potential customers through your company branding you have the chance of not only making the sale but creating a brand advocate going forwards.
If you can differentiate your offering from those around you, you can stand out from the crowd. Let’s look at McDonalds as an example: across the globe there are millions of take away restaurants selling similar products. McDonalds have created a model through automation and training that gives consistency across their global offering. It makes them a brand to trust whether you are in London or Lisbon, the Golden Arches stand out on a high street and we know exactly what we are going to get once we step inside the doors.
How does your business stand out within your sector? Brands become blands when they don’t disrupt the status quo within their industry, we can probably all think of many examples that fit a certain mould when it comes to their branding. Legal and financial services are a prime example usually leaning towards shades of blue with a sans-serif.
In business we have so many tools available to us to increase our visibility to our potential customers. Make sure that your company branding is consistant across all of your channels: website, social media, shop front, workwear, vehicles… the list goes on and on. Consistancy helps to instill trust and make your recognisable. If your branding stands out in your market, even better. Dyno-Rod do a fantastic job of this by utilising a shock of bright orange. Not really a colour that you associate with draining but when you see one of their vehicles our on the roads it is hard not to notice them.
Who are you? Here at Eighty3 we think we do a pretty good job of telling our story. We truely believe in positivity through creativity and use our social channels and website to inject a little bit of fun and persoanlity into our offering.
Potential customers often comment on stuff they have seen us getting up to on social media or in the press. By telling your business story you allow your potential customers and insight of what you are really like, and if they like what they see, they will be more inclined to use you. Tell them what you stand for, tell them what you believe and most importantly be genuine. Your company branding should reflect your company mission.
If you have something that sets your business apart from the herd, then don’t be afraid to use it in your company branding.
At Eighty3 Design, we love lucky cats and we took the decision to bring them more and more into our branding over the last couple of years. The number one question that we are asked by people is “Why all the lucky cats?” – and we love that we can share the personal story that is connected to them.
So be brave and think outside the box with your company branding.
