Branding mistakes which some companies make

Small business owners are determined and passionate, which often results in trying to take on every aspect of running their business. One area where entrepreneurs struggle the most is marketing, especially when it comes to branding.

Small inconsistencies and branding mistakes can quickly snowball into a confused customer base and a mismatched audience. Let’s take a closer look at these six common branding mistakes and explore how to avoid them in the future.

Inconsistent branding

By presenting a consistent and recognisable brand identity, you begin to foster a sense of trust and comfort for your audience. Everything related to your business, including your website, social media accounts, ads, print materials, packaging, and even business cards, must have consistently coordinated visual assets.

Creating a brand style guide is an easy way to document and manage your company’s preferred fonts, imagery, logos, colours, visual assets, voice, and values to guarantee that branding remains consistent.

Open targets

Always remember, your brand strategy should be tailored to your customer, not just any customer. Trying to target all demographics in an attempt to leave yourself open to any buyer is an extremely common pitfall for early-stage business owners. Hone in on your target market and customise your branding to address their unique needs and pain points. Otherwise, your messaging will fall flat.

Outdated design

Staying on top of the latest branding and design trends is an excellent way to show your business is contemporary and participating in popular movements. However, be sure not to lose the core of your brand identity while being swept away by the latest fads.

Design trends typically burn bright and burn fast, so going all-in on a trend that quickly becomes passé might suddenly make your brand look dated. Avoid basing any new redesigns solely on what’s ‘in’ as it might soon get outdated.

Not prioritising visuals

When you’re first getting your business off the ground, it’s okay for visuals to take more of a backseat. However, as your company gets more traction, it’s important to revisit old designs and visual choices to ensure they still align with your overall brand identity.

Keep an open mind to possible improvements to logos, and ensure that style, font choices, taglines, or colours are aligned and cohesive as your company grows.

Discrepant core values

The core values of your business should play a primary role in all elements of your brand identity, extending from your taglines and social media bios to your brand partners. Again, consistency is key. If audience members notice a discrepancy in what you claim your business’s mission statement to be, they may see you as untrustworthy.

Poor copywriting

Many organisations use copywriting that is too wordy, disjointed, or vague to paint an accurate picture of their brand. Brand positioning is essential here, so you must find the one thing that makes you and your brand unique.

You don’t need to overdo selling your business to stand apart from your competitors. Focus on the benefits of your product or service, not the features, and tell a story that consumers can connect with.