Startup Guides > 4 More Ways to Create a Brand That Customers Remember

Did you know it takes less than 5 seconds to form a good or bad first impression? If your business doesn't capture attention at first glance, not only are you missing out on brand recognition but on potential sales too.

If you haven't felt your brand is quite at the level you envisioned, use these tips to step it up. From messaging strategy to visual content creation, here are 4 ways to make sure you're delivering consistent, on-brand content...

1. BUILD YOUR BRAND MESSAGE AROUND YOUR "WHY?"

People want to feel like their purchase matters. When they connect with a brand, they tend to connect more to a particular attribute or promise that made them feel good. Focus your brand communication around the "why."


For instance, which of these sounds more purpose-driven?

a) Our office chairs are sleek and comfortable.

b) Made from 100% recycled materials, our office chairs are great for the environment as well as your back.

Even if option B is more expensive, customers are likely to choose their chair because that brand statement conveys that the chairs are quality while being environmentally conscious.

Remember it's about helping people connect to your brand in ways that go beyond your product or service. Build that emotional connection, and you will stand out from your competitors.

2. MAINTAIN BRAND CONSISTENCY

Having a consistent aesthetic to your brand is essential to build recognition. Both your brand voice and visuals need to align. If your copy has a spunky, opinionated tone and your visuals have a soft vintage feel, you might be missing the mark. This process may be daunting, but it's well worth it to leverage your brand for growth. Brand consistency needs to be universal through your website, social media, advertising - every avenue your brand uses. The most important elements that help you communicate consistency are:

a) Your fonts: Keep your fonts to no more than three. Having too many will take away from your message. Make sure that what you use is legible, especially in smaller dimensions. You may choose to add more fonts to your collateral but only implement it for specific campaigns that require a slightly different aesthetic.

b) Your brand colors: Color is often a misunderstood brand tool that many dismiss. Color is actually quite powerful and helps captures people's attention. Too many colors not only harm your brand recognition, but they can actually repel your audience. There is purchase power in color. In looking at some of the most recognizable companies out there, we know their colors: Coca-Cola is red, IBM is blue, McDonald's is red and yellow, and 40Billion is green and orange.

c) Your brand voice: The tone in which you communicate - both verbally and written - needs to translate into each medium.

d) Your branded templates: Create templates that will save you time and establish consistency.

3. LEVERAGE VIDEO

Not all trends are worth following, unless it aligns with your brand and/or there is a major shift in the industry. Did you know that, last year, brands saw more engagement through video than images. So, how can you tell your brand story without a lot of words? Use video.

The earlier you adopt video into your marketing strategy, the higher your chances are of gaining traction.

4. GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR CONTENT

Sharing your brand story can be tricky. But if you start to leverage your visual content in a way that builds curiosity, humor, or excitement, you could increase your exposure.

For example, ask a fill-in-the-blank question. This can help you get insight on what words resonate with your target audience, plus it can be very engaging.

Certain aspects of your brand connect with your audience more than others. Applying these steps will set your brand up for success.

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