A lot of business owners believe an identity comes with their businesses or products automatically but little do they know that a brand must be consciously built for their business.
Branding is the marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products.
A brand and public relations consultant, Ms. Funmilola Omole, explained that consumers gravitate to brands because they identify with those brands and all business owners must cap a niche for their brands by creating a definite name for products.
She said, “If you don’t give an accurate portrayal of who you are as a business (or product), you will quickly find that you are not attracting the type of clients/customers you are looking for.
“An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets. Your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from that of your competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.”
She added that one of the best opportunities to build and showcase brand is through social media and choosing the right networks is key. According to her, the social media platforms chosen by owners must aligning with the brand.
Another expert, Mr. Owoyemi Ajayi, explained that it is important for entrepreneurs to keep their branding consistent between social platforms and all of profiles must be in-line with the other. They must look like they are owned by the same company, in order for the customer to find the brand and recognise it.
According to him, owners must decide on a color palette, which should also align with the personality of the business.
He said, “These descriptors can help you determine the variation of colors you will want to use to portray your brand. Color does affect how people react and associate with your business.
“You should use the same logo on every social platform. This is the recognisable image associated with your brand. Finding a fun filter for the image is always fun. Don’t get too carried away with adding a ton of variety with these. Try and keep your filtering consistent. Choose one or two and stick with them. If you have too much variety, it tends to make your brand seem disorganised and inconsistent.
“Keep your fonts consistent when placing wording on your images. Pick no more than three and use these all the time. It’s the best, to find ones that are bold, standing out and representing the personality of your
brand.”
