Guide to Bringing Your Brand to Life!

This article will discuss bringing your brand to life, whether you are just starting or have an existing brand that needs revolutionizing. 

Wikipedia defines business (corporate) branding in his way.

Corporate branding refers to promoting a corporate entity's brand name of a corporate entity, as opposed to specific products or services. The activities and thinking that go into corporate branding differ from product and service branding because the scope of a corporate brand is typically much broader. Although corporate branding is distinct from product or service branding, these different forms can, and often do, take place side-by-side within a given corporation. How corporate brands and other brands interact is known as the corporate brand architecture.

Although this is not a wrong definition, we define business branding differently. We represent business branding like this.

Business Branding is how your clients and staff view your:

1. Systems Branding
2. Business Branding

 We are going to discuss each of these in detail in a minute.  Employee surveys, client reviews, and testimonials are the best way to find out your brand's performance.  If your ratings are high, then so is your brand recognition.

1.     Systems Branding

Systems branding is the first area that we will speak about.  System Branding is the core software and hardware that you have in place that supports your products and services.  It includes everything that you have invested into data, including your:

• Website
• CRM Systems
• Client Communications
• Client Surveys and Testimonials
• Documents Management and Workflows
• Payments and Invoicing
• Employee Satisfaction

Websites

A business website is an organization's most essential marketing tool to showcase its brand. That being said, your website can either make your brand stronger or weaker depending on the perception of your website visitors. The images, videos, and content must be relevant and to the point to keep your prospects attention. 

Also, using widgets to help streamline the sales cycle is crucial.  The widgets may include:

·        A Booking Widget – Allowing visitors to schedule one-on-one appointments with you.

·        A Chat Bot – The right chatbot can answer questions, schedule meetings, send emails about services desired, transfer to an employee, offer discounts, and more.

·        Desktop Notifications – Installing a desktop notification on your website allows visitors to receive push notifications when an event or discount is offered.

·        Contact Forms – Allow clients to email your business their questions.

·        Social Media Widgets- Social Media widgets allow your clients to find your business and engage with the posted content that your organization puts out on the social media networks

·        Review and Testimonials – This widget will allow you to add testimonials to your website.

The logo and color scheme should also be consistent throughout your marketing efforts.  Your website should tell a story that convinces your audience to come back and buy.  It is equally important to demonstrate that it is easy to purchase from you and have an awesome service team.

CRM Systems

 Customer relationship systems are also crucial.  Since the beginning of the technology era, CRM systems were built as client follow-up systems to track conversations, important dates, schedule meetings, and forecast opportunities.  As technology has evolved, so have Customer Relationship Management Systems. 

As we discussed earlier on, you can place widgets on your website.  Now you can also include devices from some CRM systems that will schedule meetings and add chatbots that will add the information directly into the CRM system.  Your business should consider some good automation when purchasing a CRM system.

• Ability to Call and Text
• A Document Management Component
• An Invoicing and Payment Option
• A scheduling Component
• A Review and Tutorials Option
• A Scheduling Option
• Widgets to Install on Your Website for Appointments etc.
• A Social Media Option
• Ability To Forecast
• Ability To Automate Responses and Reminder
• Client Portal

Client Communications

Another essential piece for your overall branding strategy is client communication.  Your clients need to know that s is easy to reach the right people within your business. Whether through a chat bot, a booking widget, a contact form, or a client portal, quick responses to address issues or questions a client or future customer has is one of the most important processes you can implement. 

Client Testimonials and Reviews

Client testimonials and reviews, as well as your business responding to those testimonials and thoughts, is the new word of mouth and provides an extra benefit by improving your google search rankings.  When clients initiate a testimonial, they tell the world that you are the best or the worst to do business with.  Responding with a thank you or validating their poor service and offering them a solution will help your business tremendously.

Document Management and Workflows

Workflows and automation are two critical components of running a successful business.  The right document management system will integrate within your ERP and CRM systems and provide your internal clients with a better work environment and provide better service to your clients.  The right document management system can eliminate many business problems and costs.  Here are some critical areas that a content management system provides.

·        AR/AP - streamline the process to enable better accounting measures that will allow you to pay and get paid faster.  This can help reduce raw materials costs and take advantage of discounts when paying your vendors.

•      HR – Automate the onboarding and application process.
•          Audits – Show your confidence when going through an audit with a digital paper trail.
•          Customer Care – Provide invoices and statements quickly and easily to your clients

Payment & Invoicing

Giving clients the ability to pay on their terms (how they want to pay) provides better service and support for your business clients.  This can be accomplished with client portals, invoices through email, or accepting payments through a digital check.  Automating the billing process with emails and follow-ups is also worth looking into.

Employee Satisfaction

Helping the people who work for you remain efficient in their duties is often overlooked but a necessary step.  Again, automation is one of the critical things you can provide to help them accomplish their job efficiently.  This will encourage them to work harder and gain more efficiencies within their role with the company.

2.      Business Branding

In addition to doing all of the above, there are other items to consider when developing your brand. Communicating your brand on your website is the starting point and where you want to direct all of your clients.  That being said, the following are must-haves that your business has to do to stay competitive.

Logos

Establishing a logo that speaks to your brand and the products and services you are offering is crucial.  The company logo is the face of the business and will be carried through all your marketing strategies. 

Social Media

Managing your social media accounts can be time-consuming but necessary in today’s world.  This is something that you may want to consider outsourcing if you do not have an internal team that has the time to do it.  Creating content and engaging with your audience takes a lot of time.  There are four main items to consider when managing social media.

• Writing good content, videos, and images
•  Displaying the right content on the right social media network
• Ability to view analytics
• Engaging and commenting with your audience
• Managing social networks is a full-time job in itself, and often, it’s much more affordable to have someone do it for you.

Search Engine Optimization

SEO is a strategy to help people find you on Google from a word or phrase.  There are two types of SEO.

1. Onsite SEO – Onsite SEO involves titles, keywords, and the content within your website.  Sometimes this takes some trial and error, but not much change needs to happen after that once it's done.
2. Offsite SEO – Offsite SEO is where the real work takes place.  This is the content you share away from your websites like blogs, social media networks, and other websites.  It’s the content that you share that brings people back to your website.  The better and more relevant the content is, the better the odds of having someone click on a link to your website. 

Promoting Your Business

Promoting your business through online advertising helps boost your SEO and gives your business some immediate traffic.  If your website looks cheap and unhelpful, you are less likely to convert that client.  The advertising can be spent on social media accounts, Google, and other online media.

Content

Content is King when it comes to online branding.  The more relevant content you create, your online branding will improve.  Good content will help you gain more followers on social media and bring more people to your website. That also should have great content.

Loyalty Programs/Rewards

Rewarding your clients with rewards will keep them engaged in your products and services.  An excellent rewards program and follow-up system will get your clients and future clients back and check out your website. 

In Summary

As you can tell, your business brand is more than just marketing and having a great website.  It involves processes, technology, and marketing.  Following these strategies will surely bring your brand to life!