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Jan 12 2017

Mistakes to Avoid When Building an Authentic Brand

SLG_5999-EditBuilding and nurturing a strong brand is a process. It take time and focus, and the process isn’t always clear. It’s easy to put your focus in the wrong places when you create a new business brand, or rebrand an existing business.

Here are a couple of mistakes to watch out for during the process, so you can make sure your precious time is spent on making your brand, and your business, as strong as it can be:

Focusing too much on the competition

A lot of business dreams start with a big goal. Maybe you dream of creating a product that’s as coveted as a Coach bag, or as innovative as Apple tech. You might be so focused on that big-dream success that you meticulously study your competition’s strategy. You’re starting in a different place than either of those companies, though, and your business journey will definitely be different than theirs. So, what works for your competition may not give you the same results.

Don’t get me wrong: it’s smart to occasionally check in on your competition. You can learn from their successes and failures, and use that knowledge to refine your own brand strategy. But, a big part of what makes a brand memorable is uniqueness. If you’re focusing too much on the competition, you can lose sight of who your business is, and lose your unique voice.

Instead, use your competition to help you highlight your own strengths. Ask yourself:

  • What’s special about your product versus your competitor’s?
  • What do you do better than your competition?
  • Is there anything your competition does well that you aren’t interested in doing?
  • What’s your secret sauce?

Finding that uniqueness is a great way to strengthen your brand.

Not knowing enough about your values

A big part of building your brand is being in touch with your values. Why did you start your business? What do you want it to do? What does success in your work look like to you? It’s important to know the answers to questions like these, so you can build a brand that supports your successful end goal.

What happens when you build a brand that doesn’t align with your values? You might miss out on customers who’d love your work, or attract customers who don’t see the value of what you offer. It could also create confusion about what your business does, leading to unhappy customers. Or, it could even build an audience for a product or service that you aren’t even interested in providing!

Running your own business isn’t easy, so at the very least, it should make you feel fulfilled! So instead, take time to think about your business values:

  • What do you love to do?
  • What projects inspire you?
  • What do you want to achieve?
  • How do you want to help or serve your audience?

Finding the answers to questions like these will help you make sure that your brand is a tool to help you, not hinder you.

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