Great to see you have returned to the 3rd part of my series of blogs focused on how to set your business up for success with marketing. Last week I covered the importance of copywriting and what this can do for your business. This week I shall be looking at why we marketers love branding and how your brand is the face of your business!

My name is Charley; I am fun, warm, driven & a hassle free person. I love horses, yoga, the gym, hiking & growing vegetables. These are my characteristics, if I was a brand I would be fun, easy, fitness & outdoors focused. If someone said “Charley is pro deforestation” someone would quickly chirp up “no she doesn’t, that doesn’t match her brand” (and they would be right). Take a moment to think about what your personal characteristics are and what would go against your personal brand.

In week 1’s blog I looked at how to create marketing strategy and explained that branding does come into this, I briefly touch on needing the following, but let me explain it in more detail;

• Logos – This should be visual on every single platform which your business is featured on. It should go with all copy and be present on images. It needs to be recognisable, punchy and different from everyone else.
• Font styles – A font can say what 1000 words can not. So explaining your brand with use of a few fonts is very important. Wedding venues use calligraphy style fonts, because it is romantic. So finding the right font for your brand is imperative. 
• Colours – Using a group of specific colours can tell the customer about a brand. McDonalds is yellow and red. Frosties are blue and orange. Shell is yellow and red. Having set colours makes the customer think of you instantaneously when done well.
  
  

Your brand is the face of your business as we have said, so it is vital these areas of your business reflect that:

1. Website – Your website should encompass your logo, font & colours. It is also great for messages. You can use copy writing to explain the brand’s personality and sell your product.
2. Social Media – Your personality can flood through on socials through imagery which you can hand select (I recommend having a mood board of image styles). You can also locate your logo and brand colours on social media.
3. Email Marketing – Followers of your brand will sign up to your mailing list. Your mailing list can use medium length copy to talk to your customers, explaining your brand. Whilst also presenting your logo, images, font & colours. 
4. Online Advertising – Through paid advertising you can portray images, moving images, logos and copy to potential new customers.
5. Content Marketing – Through paid or free advertising, you can represent your brand. Perhaps an online beauty magazine may do a feature of the new mascara you are selling. Use of long format marketing is perfect in content marketing along with images, colours and sometimes video.
6. Influencer Marketing – Either with ‘gifted’ influencer marketing or paid for, you can tell the story of your brand through influencer marketing. The influencer can talk about your products, why they are beneficial and how they could not live without it.

Creating your brand is the face of your business is imperative, so make sure you create this within your marketing strategy. Review it regularly and always look at alternative ways to get your brand out there. In 1902 Stanley Spencer inked a sponsorship deal with formula manufacturer Mellin and Company to create the first blimp aerial advertising. Over 120 years later we still use this ingenious idea. So start thinking about the best way for you to get your brand out there in a  way no one else has ever done.

Thanks for reading this week’s blog, I suggest it is time for you to look at your marketing strategy again, to make sure your brand design is perfect. Next google your business name and see if anything comes up that contradicts your branding. It is time now to change that! Next week I shall be looking at content creation, I hope to see you then!