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Another good one by our dear Eleanor Hicks — founder and managing editor of Designerly Magazine. The Founding Moms is a community for mom entrepreneurs. We share a wonderful – yet hectic – work-life balance. We know we thrive better together. We’re a community of learners and motivators. And we want you! Check out TFM for free.

You Have To Show Who You Really Are

In business, your brand reputation is everything. What do people say when they talk about your company? You can make a good or bad impression in a single transaction. Your goal should be to create a reliable brand that people turn to for their industry needs time and again. But what is brand identity and how do you create brand identity?

The things that worked just a few short years ago may not be effective today. The world changed rapidly after the pandemic hit. Digital shopping and the number of companies that went online increased in the last two years.

Consumers are savvier to marketing techniques and want transparency and authenticity. You have to show who you truly are as a brand if you want to capture their attention.

How Do You Create a Unique Brand Identity?

How authentic is your brand? Around 86% of people say they’ll stick with a brand they feel is honest. How do you grab their attention in the first place, though? It all starts with your brand identity.

Consider what message you want to send to the world. Why did you start your company in the first place? If you sell single-family homes, your goal may have been to create housing for lower income families. Everything you do should showcase what your end goal is.

Before we get started take a look at the image below… the one with all the brand images. Think critically, now for a moment. Mega-brands like Mercedes, Coca-Cola, Chanel, Starbucks and so on, are incredible examples of brand identity. Think about the elements of each brand – how do they make you feel? What makes them recognizable and household names? While you may not be interested in creating a mega-brand, you can still learn and apply the fundamentals used by them to create brand identity.

Here are some six elements to create a reliable brand.

1. Know Your Audience

Who are your customers? You can’t create a reliable brand for them until you know what drives them. One segment of your audience might care most about the cost of your product or service. Another portion might only care about quality.

Figure out who you want to target and what their motivations are. Know their pain points and the emotions behind them. For example, a buyer persona that is a young mother of three might care most about the safety of her children.

2. Fix Pain Points

Once you understand their problems and the feelings behind them, you can more easily fix any pain points and address issues. If you’re known as the brand that comes up with solutions, more and more people will rely on you for help.

One example would be a fast food delivery service. People want to know that the item hasn’t been tampered with, particularly if it is in an openly accessible container. Using tamper evident labels can add some reliability to your service and give busy moms some added peace of mind.

3. Write a Strong Mission Statement

If you’ve done your homework about branding, you already know why you started your company. Do you have it in writing? A strong mission statement helps new employees understand your goals as they come onboard. You can also use the statement as you bring in new customers, so they see what you stand for.

Write the mission statement out, hang it on the walls and remind your employees of it often. If your mission is to help low income families, then every decision you make and every change you implement should somehow impact that goal.

4. Define Values

What are your personal values as a business owner? Perhaps your mission is to help families but your values include honesty and transparency. When you know your values, it’s much harder to go against them.

That little white lie about a product might not seem like a big deal until you realize your brand identity is tied to your reputation for being 100% honest. Values keep you accountable to your employees, your customers and yourself.

Find someone to keep you accountable. Do you have a mentor who will remind you of your values from time to time? The love of money can corrupt anyone. It’s easy to get caught up in making more and more revenue and forget your personal value system. Make sure you surround yourself with staff and friends who will call you out if you make a decision that reflects poorly on your inner values.

5. Use Brand Immersion

Do you want people to see the hard work you’ve put into building your brand reputation? The more people understand your goals, the more likely they are to share them with others. Word-of-mouth marketing can be one of the most powerful tools you have.

Technology such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is changing how we do business. Experts estimate the VR consumer product market will hit about $16 billion this year. VR can immerse users in your brand experience. Companies such as IKEA are using AR to show people how a piece of furniture might look in the room or how different colors complement one another.

6. Create Consistent Touchpoints

A consistent consumer experience helps you show people you’re reliable. Think about all the times a customer interacts with your brand. They should get a similar tone and the same answers no matter who they speak with.

For example, a customer lands on your website and sees your tagline says you create a quality product you guarantee. They order it and have an issue. They jump on live chat and the representative apologizes and sends out a replacement immediately.

Do you stand behind what you say? Are your employees trained to deal correctly with your customers? Every time a person interacts with your brand, whether on social media, via telephone or even in person, they should get the exact same messaging.

What Does Reliable Mean?

When you think of the word “reliable,” you probably think of someone who always does what they say. They follow through. They’re on time and they keep their promises consistently over time. Building a reputation as a reliable brand in 2023 requires many of the same traits. Set your goals and values and stick to them.

Eleanor Hecks is the founder and managing editor of Designerly Magazine. She’s also a web design consultant with a focus on customer experience and user interface. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dogs, Bear and Lucy. Connect with her about marketing, design and/or tea on LinkedIn!

Already a Founding Mom? Keep going! Check out these out then put your questions and comments in The Chat.

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