In this series, xneelo will be helping those with a killer idea take their ecommerce business online.
In part 2, we looked at taking your business online. This time, we’re tackling branding and incorporating it into your website.
What is branding?
We’ve spoken previously about choosing a hosting partner and a domain. Once you have your website set up, it's time to create your online brand.
Your brand sums up everything about your product or service. In a nutshell, branding refers to your business image, and the perception your customers have of your business.
Branding is important as it helps to build trust with potential customers and assist them in making a purchasing decision. Visitors to your site need to know who you are, what you offer, and why to choose you as soon as they land on your homepage.
How to craft your brand
The first step in creating a brand is understanding your brand’s story – a summary of all the things that make your business unique.
Ask yourself:
- What are your business values?
- What is your company's vision and mission?
- How are you different from other businesses in the same industry?
- How do you want customers to feel about your brand?
- How do you make your customers’ lives better?
Used together, you will be able to determine what makes your brand stand out from the rest.
Create a brand style guide
A style guide is a rulebook that clearly explains the way your brand communicates – internally and externally – to ensure uniformity throughout your communication channels
This guide should include:
- Your tone, or the way you speak to customers. For example, are you a friendly adviser or an informed expert?
- Any specific product terminology or brand phrases.
- The way you address customers in your communication.
- A complete grammar list so that things are spelled consistently throughout all your communications.
Creating a social media presence
Your brand should extend to all customer touchpoints, including your social media channels.
Identify which social media platforms your customers and competitors use, and create a business account featuring your logo, brand story and a link to your website. Remember, when you’re building your brand, consistency is key. A consistent voice helps potential customers develop brand recognition, which means they’re more likely to remember your unique selling points when it comes to making buying decisions.
Tip: LinkedIn is a great help for business owners wanting to forge industry connections.
Make it smashable
The concept of a smashable brand dates back to 1915 when Coca Cola asked for a bottle that would be recognisable as a Coke bottle even if it was in a hundred pieces. If you removed the logo from your website and marketing material, would it still be instantly recognisable as you?
Ideally, you want people to have a consistent experience of your brand no matter where they see it.
Now that you know the basics of brand-building, have fun revisiting why you started your business and getting to know your customers so you can craft an impressive brand story for your website.
Next time we’ll be looking at the practical steps you can follow to grow your online business.