Branding: Answer three questions to get clear on yours

Are you crystal clear on your branding? The #Lucidteam recently wrote on the importance of clarity in brand identity. With that clarity in focus, now you can solidify your branding.

Branding importance

Clear branding is essential to bringing your product, business or service into the forefront of your audience. Just as important, branding keeps it in their minds. When you think of brands like Coca Cola and Hallmark, you see what we mean. In this age of technology many tangible, material items can be replicated faster and cheaper. But a brand endures. Brands are irreplaceable and often what pushes a buyer to action. Spend this time hashing out the details on branding and lay the foundation for marketing efforts later.

Ask yourself these three quick questions to get clear on your brand.

Who is my audience? This question sounds elementary but it is surprising how many businesses remain vague on this point. It’s no wonder since many products or services that have been in business for years experience audience changes. Still, you can implement an audience definition that is sustainable yet adaptable in a fluctuating market.

● Who are the people or other businesses that now use your business?

● Whose business would you like to have?

Be as specific as possible. Tailor these details right down to the specifics such as age range and demographic if it’s an individual market. If your business serves an industry, tailor the details down to specialized market sectors.

What problem do I solve? It’s 2017 and for every solution, there are other solutions. A monopoly on a solution is almost obsolete. How are you different? Quicker, more agile or more customized? Answering this question well means knowing your competition. Gain an understanding of how you solve a problem and solve it well. You are better, faster, less costly or something else amazing. Articulate that in your brand by your value proposition.

What personality does my brand have? Every brand has their own culture. Some industries and businesses are well suited by brands that stay straight laced while others respond more strongly to a fun, light brand with a quirky vibe. Unlike question #2 above, the personality of your brand will likely not change much over the years.

A word on logos

Many people think a logo alone is the brand. It’s true a great logo is an extension of your brand (Nike Swoosh much?). However, branding is an overall strategy encompassing the logo, website, social media and all of those great marketing efforts around what you do for your customers. Without overall branding, a swoosh is well, just a swoosh.