Your ‘brand’ is what your customers think of when they hear or see your brand name. It’s all the attributes the public knows about the brand. These can have factual and emotional attributes. People tend to attribute human characteristics to everything, including brands. With that in mind, you should work towards establishing the ‘personality’ you want your brand to have. Your brand should show your values and help you stand out in your industry. Having a set brand will also help you stay committed to the core ideology and mission.
@sweetersocial has a clear brand voice and aesthetic.
Describe the voice you want your business to have in three adjectives. These would be like adjectives you’d use to describe a person. Classy, fun, professional, high-end, quirky, unique, and luxurious are all potential adjectives you can use.
Once you have a list of the 3 characteristics of your voice, expand on them. For example, if you were to choose ‘passionate’ as one of your words, you might expand by saying: expressive, enthusiastic, and heartfelt.
The next step for establishing your voice is to make a chart with the Do’s and Dont’s that you can refer back to in order to ensure you are following your initial goal. Some of these Do’s could be “Use this set of emojis in Instagram captions” or “Respond to every comment on social platforms.” Some of your Don’ts could be “Don’t grow too fast too quickly–make sure you’re giving clients the attention they need before expanding” and “Don’t post on Instagram more than once per day.” Remember: this is not set in stone. You can change your voice as your business grows.
@nordstrom doesn’t have to work as hard to establish their voice because they’re so well-known, but they still have lots of branded content on their feed.
A mission statement is one to two sentences that summarizes the goals and values of your business. It functions as a common goal that you can always be working towards.
For example, here at KLYP, our mission is to put creative control in the hands of KLYPISTS (Beauty Service Professionals on the KLYP app) and clients.
You can do so by writing down your service and what you want it to do for people. The first few drafts of your mission statement will likely be very long, but in the end, you should be able to define your tone in just a couple of sentences.
Ask yourself why your customer base should choose you rather than other professionals. What is something that you bring to the table that is uniquely yours? Is it your mastery of a certain type of style or service? Is it your price?
@rarebeauty is a new company, so they’re still working to brand themselves.
Communicating why you are the best option is essential, especially if you’re just starting out. It is important to create a deep connection with clients so that when decision time comes, they choose you.
Designing a logo can be extremely beneficial to your business. Something you can stamp anywhere to make the aesthetic of your brand stick to customers’ heads is ideal. You can get inspiration from the first logos that come to mind. They are usually simple and to the point, but they are unique enough that customers recognize it upon first glance. You can hire a designer to make a logo for you, or play with fonts and colors in Adobe programs yourself.
Put this logo on everything: your social platforms, your emails, your business cards, and in physical locations inside your business. Maybe even get some branded capes, tools, and product bottles.
Post more than just examples of your work on instagram. People want to see YOU. Make sure you show your personality through your page and introduce yourself frequently so clients can get to know you. People are more likely to buy from brands they feel personally connected to.
What are your thoughts on the brand voice of @fentybeauty just from looking at their feed?
Some basic tips:
Good luck building your brand! Once you establish clear guidelines for yourself, you’ll be able to create tons of great branded content in no time.
