Getting to know your brand

2022 – can you believe we are here already? At Lil Creative Studio I have been so busy over the past year that 2021 really was a blink and you’ll miss it kind of year. Good news for business, bad news for self-improvement.

 

Luckily, during the festive break I was able to take a little time and think about things I want to achieve this year. I mentioned on my Instagram that my word for the year is ‘Fearless’. This involves moving forward without fear and breaking the constraints of the last few years. It got me thinking about brand and how important it is to take some time to really get to know your brand. This might seem like a strange thing to do; surely I know my brand you are thinking, but brand encompasses such a massive area it can be useful to take stock of what you are and where you are going.

What is branding

Branding is the distinctive and recognisable design that represents your business. It usually contains your business name, business colours and any design symbols that represent your business. This branding should then translate to your website, communications, products, packaging, social media and advertising material.

 

#2022Update – check all your business assets and make sure they have the very latest version of your brand. When you’re busy it can be easy to miss a Mailchimp here or Email Signature there – all your branding should match.

Reflecting on your current brand

What is your current brand experience

When was the last time you took a step back and really thought about your customer?

 

  • How do you think they feel when they experience your brand?
  • How do you want them to feel when they experience your brand?

 

In an online world it is even more important to connect with your customer, to form relationships and to give them the personal feel they would get if they interacted with you in person. Consistency across your brand presence and voice is important here, positive experiences with your brand result in business, and then returning business.

 

#2022Update – take some time (even do some mind maps) to think about your customer, coming up with some ideas to extend your brand experience. Adding a personal touch, for instance, following up customers.

Brand value, USP, are these still aligned

The past few years have been daunting for businesses, to say the least, and many people have been reassessing the way they do things in life. There has been a conscious move towards sustainability and you need to make sure that your current brand still portrays your values. Perhaps you started with one USP when in fact you now find yourself branching into another area.

 

#2022Update – What were your brand values? Have these changed? Do your new brand values still fit with your USP? Do you need to rewrite your USP to reflect these new brand values?

Has your customer changed?

Just like you and your business, you may find that your customer has changed these past few years. Maybe they have embraced a more sustainable life and would value you having fully recyclable packaging, for example. Maybe what once attracted customer doesn’t anymore and you need to change direction a little.

 

#2022Upate – change is good. As a business owner you should be open to the ever changing world around you. If you can change in line with your ideal customer, then you can continue to have that connection with them while meeting their needs.

How to measure the success of your branding?

At times it can be hard to measure the success of our hard work, especially when social media stats don’t always seem to equate to sales. However, customer retention rate, repeat business and customer feedback all attribute to you doing something right.

 

#2022Update – give yourself some goals and some variables by which to measure them. Perhaps trying a VIP event, which extends your brand experience, using the goal ‘sign ups’ as a variable. Doesn’t work? Don’t get disheartened, try something different. You can’t predict what will happen unless you try.

Reviewing and refreshing your brand is important, not only does it help to improve your customer experience and increase business, but it also gives you, as a business owner, something new to focus on. It can give you some motivation, and aids in both business and personal development.

 

If you are looking to review your brand in 2022 then why not download the ‘getting to know your brand’ worksheet available at the bottom of this page. It gives you some handy steps to follow and questions to answer and can help you to outline a plan for your brand.

 

Not sure where to go next? Book a chat right here.

Brand Worksheet

#designtip – regular reviewing of your brand helps keeps your business current and connecting with its customers. Try to do a review every 12-18 months, or if your business undergoes any big changes.

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Tags:
2022 Goals Brand Experience Brand Review Branding Ideal Customer

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