Branding is a tricky business. It can influence almost everything your business does, whether you are designing packaging, building a website or dressing your shop window. But more than that, branding is the lasting impression that exists in the mind of your customers that can either win them over or put them off for life.

While we’ve all heard of PR disasters that took down some of the world’s biggest brands in a matter of hours, there are some branding fundamentals that you need to get right before you get into the realm of headline scandals! In this article, Sun Leisure give their top six branding mistakes to avoid to get off on the wrong foot with your business…

Skimping on a Logo

Failing to invest in a professionally designed logo is not a wise decision and can cheapen your brand. It may also cause you problems down the line when you are faced with a rebrand to fix what you should have nailed in the first place. Check out these failed logos and see how they were fixed – or not fixed!

A logo may well be the first thing potential customers see of your brand, so it can’t let you down. Make sure the typeface is understandable by trying it out on a few people and be sure it doesn’t have any potentially embarrassing misinterpretations!

Inconsistency

Your customers will likely have multiple touch points with you before making a purchase – they may check your website, pick up a brochure, visit your social media accounts, talk to you on the phone or visit your shop all within a matter of days. This article explains perfectly why a consistent brand will result in loyal customers who aren’t left confused by mixed messages.

Make sure you establish structured brand guidelines that you can stick to consistently. This should include your use of logo, tone of voice, the customer service you deliver and the imagery you use. Colour is one of the strongest factors in brand recognition so it is vital to keep it on track – take a look at this infographic to see why.

Lack of Vision

Remember what makes your brand unique and try to translate this message across everything you do. Your customers, industry and the world as we know it may change, but you need to keep in mind who you are and stay focused when faced with any challenges. Nevertheless, don’t fall into the trap of repetitively churning out the same old content or getting stuck in the past!

Not knowing who you are talking to

Don’t go cart-before-horse into developing your brand. Take the time to get to know the people you want to fall in love with your company, either by market research, surveys or studying competitors.

Identify what it is that catches their attention and what problems they want answers to. This guide to creating brand identity has a few pointers to help you on your way.

Overcomplicating things

If you feel like you have to over explain to get across the message of who your business is, it is probably too complicated. Trying to cover off everything is a common branding mistake; instead, focus your efforts on identifying what it is you are good at. Customers don’t want to have to work to figure out who you are, so keep it concise and try and communicate your identity in a simple tag line.

Underestimating the power of social media

You could say that social media can make or break you. Twitter storms and Facebook memes can see your brand’s reputation plummet in a matter of seconds, but the potential for shareability and instant engagement can’t be missed out on in today’s era.

Read over these big brand social media mishaps for some important lessons in managing your social media. Remember that if you are going to incorporate social media into your brand, you need to give it investment and attention – nothing will make your brand look more neglected than potential customers coming across a Facebook page left dormant for years…