Branding Beast: 5 Ways To Build Your Brand Image

"Ordinary people can spread good and bad information about brands faster than marketers." - Ray Johnson

BRAND IMAGE
Companies are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves. Whether through a company name, website, logo, tagline, or advertising campaign, it is vital that you offer something that helps your company stand out among competitors. Though you may offer the same services as your competitor, you must find ways to market a different approach, lower cost, or added benefit. Here are 5 simple ways to build your brand image:

1. Internal Communications
Branding education & training for employees is key to building your brand. It is essential to equip staff with the tools to educate others about your products/services. Every employee is a marketer for your company and their bad attitude or lack of information could potentially influence your brand and reputation.

2. Relationships
It is important to appreciate the value of good relationships with customers, business partners, and vendors. Each relationship offers benefits that will help to strengthen your brand and your service/product.

3. Customer Experience
Creating the best possible customer experience can be tedious and difficult, but it is worth every moment of your time.  Take a holistic approach while pinpointing the key components that define a customer’s experience. Begin to take notes on how a customer is treated by your company. Are there ways to improve their experience? Finding ways to better meet your customer’s needs will help to build a great brand image.

4. Word of Mouth
What are people saying about your company? It is important to address the good, the bad, and the ugly. What are you doing right? What are you doing wrong that can be improved? What things are you doing that need to stop immediately? Growth is sure to occur when these issues are addressed on a consistent basis.

5. External Communications
Each piece of external advertising needs to have a clear, cohesive message. Whether it’s signage, collateral, corporate identity, direct mail, uniforms, or advertising – all components need to convey the same message. Maintaining consistency within your brand helps to strengthen the trust between you and your customer. Good examples of trustworthy brands include: Hershey Co., Kraft Foods, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Home Depot, Apple, UPS, Coca-Cola, and Google. These brands have images that have remained consistent for years and have been extremely successful in delivering on their brand promise. Thus, building a lasting brand image. 
  
Look out for more "Branding Beast" blogs (from a "well-tamed" branding beast: Jennifer T. Graham) with topics to help build your brand! 

Jennifer T. Graham, MBA | Creative Director | Branding Blog Post #002