Creating a Stronger Brand

The most important part of your business image is your "brand". Brands become an integral part of your customer's expectation set. Your customers are more likely to return for repeat business if they are able to associate positive attributes to your business. You want your customers to see your brand, and immediately recognize it as a core need of the highest quality.

There are key attributes of every successful brand. As a business owner, your success lies in the choices you make early in your business development plan. Developing a business recognition plan is one of the first things you should do when you establish your business. For example, almost everyone recognizes the Starbucks logo, or the Coca-Cola logo. Why have these brands had such great success? There are certainly other coffee shop and soda options.

Brand recognition success is rooted in your own business image. As a business owner, you must first determine what unique qualities you offer to your customer. Do you offer expedient services, at the last-minute? Or do you have a special product at a great price that customers can't find anywhere else? Or do you offer special complimentary services that set you above your competition?

Capitalizing on your unique services/products you bring to your customers is the first step to successful brand recognition. You can capitalize on what you offer by utilizing great design in your website. Great design is attractive, consistent and easy to use. You must use up-to-date and modern graphic design in order to have an attractive website. Also, your website must be dependable and consistent. It would be foolish to use a different logo or template on the different pages of your site!

Finally, your customer wants a website that's easy to use. The easier it is to use your site, the more business they can complete with you. You can improve your site's usability with easy-to-use navigation sets that are consistent throughout your site. Some of the worst sites are those that have constantly changing toolbars and navigation buttons. This turns your customers away and frustrates them when they're trying to purchase products/services from your site.

Once you have your site up and running, don't think that you can just let it go! The more you update your site, the more "in touch" your customer will feel with your company. Customers will see the often updates and immediately recognize that you're dedicated to your business. A great method of updating your stie is to do it by seasons. If it's November, a Thanksgiving theme is great to connect to your customers! A great example of a brand that utilizes this is Google, who changes their overall "Google" logo every season and holiday.

Once you have a memorable and unique design, you can begin advertising your new business logo. Putting your brand out in the public's eyes immediately draws customers to your site. By using good business practices, your customers will associate your brand with the positive qualities you bring to the market and keep coming back. As they are satisfied, they will spread the word of your site, and you'll find that your brand recognition plan is a success!