Brand building basics

A lot of marketing experts will make out that ‘branding’ is some sort of smoke and mirrors pseudoscience. It’s not. It’s something that any business can do – from multinational companies to boutique online stores.

What ‘branding’ really means is ‘positioning’ – which (in a nutshell) means clearly defining how you want your company to be seen by your customers, and how you aim to distinguish your company from your closest competitors.

Branding isn’t just about having a neat logo or a funky strapline. It’s about taking a stance; having an opinion; and communicating what your company does – and stands for – in a way that’ll resonate with the type of customers you want to engage.

To give an example: consider L’Oreal and Lush – two companies selling similar products, but with very different brand identities. In highly competitive markets where products can often be indistinguishable, branding can make a lot of difference.

Above all, your brand needs to be authentic; true to itself, to your customers, and what you’re selling. For example, if you’re selling novelty socks, your brand is going to be a lot more relaxed and informal than an online store that specialises in, say, sustainable aluminium alloys.

At the end of the day, brand building is really just about developing a personality for your online store. And, as the saying goes, people do business with those they like – or are like them.

Need some branding pointers? Start by asking yourself:

What does my online business do – apart from just ‘sell’?

What impression do I want to give customers?

If I was pitching my online business in 30 seconds, how would I describe it?

If my brand was a person, friend, or relative who would it be? How would it communicate?

What three words best describe my brand’s personality and tone of voice?

How can I translate my brand to my online store, social media accounts, and other marketing?