So, what is a Brand?
A brand is what makes one...
If you want people to buy from you online, you have to give them the impression that you are a real business. They give you their name, address, phone number, and credit card number. If it's clear from your website that you run your business out of your home, they may not feel comfortable giving you that kind of information. Because of this, it's important to build a brand that people know and trust.
So, what is a Brand?
A brand is what makes you different from every other eBiz:
- A brand is a person's good name. A good brand makes your product more valuable because buyers expect a certain level of quality based on the name of the brand. If they know your brand and have a good feeling about it, they're more likely to choose it over similar products that cost a little less, even if yours costs a little more.
- A brand is what your customers expect from your business based on what you tell them. It includes everything, from how good your website is to how good your customer service is to how good your products are. It's more than just a name and logo; it's the whole experience that a buyer has with your business.
Your brand should stay the same.
Use a consistent brand design in all of your marketing materials... It makes feel like you are bigger than you are. You need to decide what your marketing message is and make sure it shows up in all of your advertising. If you have business cards, press kits, or other printed materials, the fonts, color scheme, logo, and tagline should all be the same as on your website.
Your format should also be the same on all of your web pages, including the way they look, how they sound, and how you get around. Having a web store that looks organized and professional can do a lot to make a customer trust you. Customers will trust your business more if your site looks good, because they will think that the quality of your service and products will be good, too.
Your brand should always be there.
Branding is an ongoing process, and your brand should change as the needs of your target market change. It should start when your business is just getting started and continue throughout its life. Says Parzek, "Branding is something that you will never stop doing. You have to think about it all the time."
