Unlike what many people might assume, branding involves several aspects. It is not that well-sketched up logo or company name. It goes way further than a strategy laid out in a google document or some meaningless press release. Branding can only be felt, not seen.
Ever noticed that excitement of trying out a company’s new product or service even when they have no great offers on them? That is what branding is.
When you incorporate engagement, expectation, and emotion into your business, you get great branding. As an e-commerce manager or owner, great branding will give you an edge in the competitive market. Mix customer participation and mission into one thing, and you will tell the difference.
Many companies do not get it right because they approach branding as a single-aspect subject. But it encompasses many aspects such as product quality, online presence, and communications. Below is a detailed compilation of strategies that can be used in branding your new e-commerce business.
Establish your identity as a brand
A brand identity can be baked into how your customers access your products, the brand message, and values. A great aspect of brand identity is a careful selection of the kind of emotions you want your products to evoke in customers. The establishment of a unique selling proposition (USP) is very crucial in the success of your marketing efforts. Below are some tips on establishing your brand identity:
- Get a great logo. The logo makes up the face of your brand. Employ creative logo design services in the creation of your logo.
- Develop a branding guide. It encompasses your brand theme, color scheme, and typography that will be used in marketing materials and the website.
- Establish your USP. What makes you different from your competitors? How are your products different? Blend your USP into the brand identity so that you can create a unique position in the target market.
Identify your target market and customers
Instead of trying to have your brand, please everyone, identify your target market and focus your efforts on it. Tailor your brand message and other marketing efforts to resonate with your target audience. A sure way of doing this is creating a brand persona to guide you in developing reliable and realistic audience segment representations.
These representations can be used as a reference in brand marketing. Try to imagine the kind of person that would be interested in purchasing the kind of products you sell. With that in mind, craft a message that would suit them. This shows the customer that your brand is not just a company, but something they can get value from and relate with.
Share the story of your company
Humans are better suited to remember and emotionally connect with others through storytelling more than other mediums. Your brand must have a story. The tale behind your company must be conveyed in a way that builds trust and bonding with your prospective customers.
As new e-commerce, you can tell the story of how the idea behind your company was conceived. Tell of how you started from scratch, the challenges, and effort put into it. As much as you focus on having top quality products that would convert some customers, many customers would still want to know why they should give you their money.
Avoid extreme expectations
Never over promise your customers. Disappointments are usually a bitter pill to swallow, and people hate them. You would not want customers to identify your brand with false promises. Many companies tend to alienate their customers by promising more than what they can deliver and end up destroying their trust.
Always ensure that you are forthright and honest with your capabilities, especially in shipping and return policies. Disclose what shipping speed you can efficiently offer. Always be careful not to damage the trust that you ardently worked to gain.
Offer the best customer services
Your company’s actions should be dictated by the needs and wants of the customer. All too often, brands miss out on important information by focusing on their catalog or products more than their audience.
An effective way to tackle this challenge is to make use of analytics platforms like Google Analytics and Big Commerce. Information obtained from your analytics can be used to understand customer trends and preferences better.
Perfect your visual aspects
The visual experience is very important for online shoppers as they do not have the luxury of physically interacting with the products. Visual assets include the web design of your e-commerce platform, Ad design, and all other front-facing elements. Select a memorable signature color scheme to help your customers identify and recognize your brand.
Some of the benefits of having a great website layout include;
- Creating a great first impression for customers
- Gives a refined customer experience
- Presents your products better which translates into more sales
- Better maintenance
- Increased visibility on search engines.
By creating a brand, you tell you, customers, what your company stands for. In the initial stages of developing a brand for your e-commerce business, you will be required to invest your time, financial resources, and energy heavily. But after some time, all that investment will pay off well.
Mikayla St. Clair is a Public Relations Specialist for Base22.
