Get the basics right with the A, B and C of startup branding
You finally gathered all the courage and decided to build your idea.
You have the grit, passion, and the product required. Yet, you are stuck with where to start. If this is you, I have got one of the many answers.
A fantastic product or service is undoubtedly the top priority to succeed in the startup world.
However, many miss the second priority. Your second priority should be branding, even before marketing.
Also Read: Startups should believe in the power of branding
Unless you are selling plain rice, without branding your marketing won’t stick with people.
“A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.” – Wikipedia
Branding is a crucial part of any modern startup. If branding is done right, a startup can establish a foundation which draws the customers and the investors.
A strong brand combined with marketing and sales can move mountains.
In this article, I will discuss the initial branding steps you should take for your startup. Read on to see what your focus should be.
A. Logo, name, and basics
There are a few elements that have nothing to do with your startup’s product, yet have a significant impact on your brand. Here are those:
Name
Your brand name represents your startup or business. Investing time in figuring out the right brand name is undoubtedly a smart investment.
This doesn’t indicate that the name should have a publically-recognised meaning, but it should mean something. For e.g., “Google” didn’t mean anything to people when it was launched, but the founders knew it was meant after “googol”.
Moreover, listing some options and checking whether domains and social media accounts for the name are available is another smart decision.
In this case, a site like a startup name check can come in handy. Another thing to check while naming your startup is whether the name is trademarked or registered as a company. If it is, better opt for another name.
Logo:
Your logo plays a vital part in your brand’s recognisability factor.
It’s one of the representatives and distinguisher of your brand. So, better skip those cheap logo designers and pay a professional to get an excellent, timeless piece of art.
Brands like Amazon, Mercedes, Domino’s, etc. have meaningful logos, and so should your brand.
Other Basics
Other than logo & name, many foundational elements subtly give an uplift to your brand. Things like your vision and mission statements; your use of colour psychology in UI, logo, and social media; the user experience you provide, etc. should be a preference if you want to come out as a fantastic brand.
B. A unique selling proposition
Also Read: 3 branding mistakes that will doom your startup
While name, logo, and colours are some subtle branding factors, USP is a factor that glows. A unique selling proposition (USP) is a factor that differentiates a product from its competitors.
If the marketing element is removed from any business, the USP is the only thing that will sell. Your USP is your competitive edge. If you have a positive answer to any of the following questions, you have a USP.
- Is your startup solving a problem?
- Are you giving a better price?
- Are you giving a better product/service?
- Is your brand more reliable?
- Are you providing something new?
Congratulations if you found the answer. If you didn’t, evolve your offerings, establish a USP first, and build a brand around that USP.
C. A brand story
Brand storytelling is one of the best ways to promote your startup. Everyone loves a great story. We are wired in a certain way.
Stories fascinate us, grab our attention, plays with our emotions, and makes us do things we wouldn’t do otherwise. In modern times, the ones who tell their story in a unique and engaging way have a competitive advantage.
For e.g., David Ogilvy’s “At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in the new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock” ad is still remembered as an iconic piece of a story that doubled the company’s profits.
Long story short, sharing your Brand story and promoting it through digital platforms is the ultimate branding tip for any startup of today. Start with your Brand’s “Why?”, “What?”, and “Who?”.
Also Read: Building up customer loyalty with emotional branding
Share it creatively and build your brand bottom-up.
Final Words:
Getting all the basics right, framing your USP, and amplifying it with brand storytelling are the A, B, and C of branding your startup.
If you want to know the remaining, i.e., D-Z of startup branding, comment below. Also, let me know which branding step are you going to take first.
We will discuss it in the comments below. Until then, I bid you adieu.
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Image Credit: Mario Caruso
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