As a new business owner, there’s so much to juggle!
You’ve put out the news that your business is now on the market. You’re trying to build a reputation with potential clients/consumers. You’re collecting data, processing payments, building your website, and utilizing SEO.
You spent time forming an idea. You did your research. You invested. You turned your idea into a business.
But what makes your business different from others in your industry?
Formulating your individual identity involves elements of self-knowledge often leading to big moments of self-discovery. Similarly, formulating the identity of a business relies heavily on what you know to be true to your business.
How do you find your business’s identity and gain traction? Build your brand voice.
As you’re building your brand, there’s a lot to consider including who your target audience is, how you got to where you are, and what you’re doing in your industry that the competition might not be.
Influence your customer’s opinion of your brand by asking questions throughout the building process.
1. Who is your audience and how are you reaching them?
When starting up your business, one of the first things you need to consider is who you’re talking to, as this is the foundation of forming your brand’s voice.
Who is your ideal consumer for the product or service? How are you reaching them specifically? What is their purpose in relation to your business or brand?
The goal of a business is to meet the needs of the consumer. Figure out what they need, look into their lifestyle. Do they exhibit certain behaviors that you can funnel into a marketing message just for them?
Consider the industry you’re in, find your niche. Do research on who your ideal consumer may be. If your brand doesn’t solve a problem or provide something for them, then customers don’t serve a purpose other than revenue. Give them a reason to be there.
2. Why does your brand exist?
What is the story behind your business? Who are you? What do you do? What is your business about, and what purpose does it serve?
Knowing how to convey your “why” to consumers will help to establish a strong brand voice.
Tell your audience the story behind your brand, incite emotion and connect with them. Capture their attention with how you got started, where you are now, and where you plan to be in the future. Make sure you align this with your company’s mission statement, as this is the foundation for your company’s existence.
Churning out a good founding story will hook the consumer and bring them to a desire to learn about your business strategy and how they can benefit from it.
3. What about your brand message sets you apart?
You never want to do exactly what everyone else is doing.
Knowing what your competition is doing is important to building your brand. Despite respected industry values and behaviors that you should exhibit within your industry, something about your brand needs to stand out from the competition.
Is it the message? Is it how you came to start this business? Does your business solve a problem that no other business does? What about the overall business objective?
Knowing where your competition stands may help you to leverage digital mediums in a way that they aren’t.
Set yourself apart with core values and a brand message that are completely unique to your business. Consider if you offer a product or service that is considered innovative to your market.
Use originality wherever you can whether it is in your website, marketing material, or overall message.
Create a unique connection and make your customers feel valued in your brand message. In your brand message, provide them with the core benefit of choosing your business as it relates to them, not how your business will profit.
(Keep in mind, however, that while you are trying to create your own niche within the industry that your brand image doesn’t just rely on the message. You may want to beat out the competition, but being respectful of the competition is just as important.)
Having trouble finding your voice?
At Seedling Digital, we pride ourselves on the ability to make a true impact with a beautiful brand.
Offering everything from custom WordPress web development and search engine optimization to strategic branding and design, we create business awareness within your target market according to your vision, core values, and business objectives.
If you are having trouble building your brand, coming up with the right designs, or ensuring that your business will be memorable to consumers, book a call today to see how we can help.
