5 sure fire ways to beef up your shop’s brand identity
February 13, 2015
Build your shop’s brand identity
The terms “Brand” and “Branding” are widely used in marketing. To “brand” means to set your product apart by putting your identifying mark on it. According to Entrepreneur, your brand is derived from “who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.” Here are 5 easy steps to build your shop’s brand identity.
Defining your brand
To define your store’s special brand, Entrepreneur asks you to answer these important questions:
What Is your store’s mission?
Can you list specific benefits and features of your store?
What do your current and potential shoppers already think about your store?
Can you list qualities you want them to associate with your store?
1.) Your logo
Your brand foundation is your logo. You need a solid, easy-to-read image that can be instantly recognized as you. Whether it’s your name in a particular typeface and color or an actual design image, make sure you use it consistently. Remember, this is the first impression a shopper may have of you so splash it across everything.
2.) Your profile photo on social media
Although obvious, some shop’s forget that your profile photo is the picture that appears in a Facebook news feed comment, a reply or a retweet. Your profile picture should always be your logo. However, sizes vary for profile photos. What works for Facebook may not work for Pinterest, Instagram or other media sites. If your name and/or logo is a different shape or ratio than the standard size, consider recreating it into a square format. Never cut off any text or part of your logo design.
3.) Talk the talk
Much of this week’s newsletter ideas came from Facebook Marketing for Small Business by Christina Sullivan. She encourages businesses to be “crystal clear” when communicating their brand identity. Consistency is key. If you want to be known as the expert in consignment, resale or antiques then you need to communicate it. If you want to be viewed as a trend maker or the friendliest shop in town, then make that clear in every piece of advertising that goes out of your store. Choose your purpose. Then, come up with a slogan or tagline for your shop that matches.
4.) Your cover photos
Looking for a great way to communicate who you are and what you sell? Take advantage of the larger space on your Facebook and Twitter Cover Photos. Don’t be afraid to change it up. If you’re looking for customers to return time and time again, you have to give them something new and different. Use bold images and graphics. Make sure the typeface remains consistent through all of your headlines and subheads. As followers scroll through your Twitter and Facebook feeds, they should get a consistent feel for your business and your brand identity not only by what they read, but also by what they see.
5.) Don’t let your boards be boring
Pinterest is also an area where you can easily build your brand. Create different boards that convey your message. A board titled, “Be In The Know” can be used to give history lessons on fashion, furniture or art. A board that features employees, owners and other staff can build your brand awareness as the friendliest place to shop. By remaining consistent you can answer all of the questions that define your brand.
