Stand Out or Go Home.
The first page of Google’s search results shows about ten unpaid web pages for many search terms. If you fail to make that top ten, you’re dead.
Everyone loves a winner, so success brings more success. Make sure you beat your competitors. Be the best in your field; own your niche, and branding is how you come to lead the pack.
Branding is how you set yourself apart from lesser businesses. Branding is how you set an example that shows others how things *should* be done.
When we think ‘branding,’ we think ‘logo,’ but your logo is only one aspect of your leadership. This piece will look at five important concepts you need to get right to be the alpha in the pack.
- Logo
- Tagline
- Website
- Customer service
- Thought leadership
1. Logo.
You know you need a logo, but you have better things to spend $1,000 on than a graphic designer. That’s OK: Start with a DIY logo and let it evolve.
Use an online graphics site to brainstorm a logo for your first year in business. Let your logo evolve with your business. You understand your company better than any designer on a freelancing site, and you can change your logo in a few hours if your direction changes.
2. Tagline.
Most businesses have a slogan on their website and stationery. It’s a way to help prospects to understand what you do and why you are unique.
Your tagline should be short, easy to spell and flow off the tongue naturally. You can use your tagline slogan as a hashtag on social media, so avoid generic statements like ‘We’re the best’ or ‘Here to serve you.’
Your slogan links your company name with the results you are working to achieve, with the emotions you want your buyers to feel, and with your reason for existing.
Think of the emotional engagement you are looking for and plug those terms into a tagline slogan generator.
If you get it right, your slogan can become bigger than your company name
3. Website.
Above all else, your site must be easy to use: This even comes above fast-loading and looking good on a phone. Many large organizations pay many $10,000 or more, yet their websites are counter-intuitive and impossible for users to navigate.
A random visitor who fits your target profile must be able to do what they want to do on your website and to do it without stress or frustration. If you need video clips to show visitors how to use your site, it’s time to put it through the shredder and start over again.
Use a website builder to design your perfect site for a fraction of the cost of a bespoke web presence from a designer.
Drag and drop WordPress plugins like Elementor are another option to look at. Doing things this way means you can tweak any theme, including the one you are already using: This is a faster way to get the perfect layout than starting from scratch with a website builder.
If your business model is an e-commerce, it makes sense to use an e-commerce platform like Shopify to build it. This will save time compared to trying to use a plugin to do the same job on a building platform that is not optimized for selling.
Brainstorm with your management team, but delegate the design to one person because design by committee is a recipe for awfulness. Encourage everyone to provide feedback on the site’s features once it is complete.
4. Customer Service.
There are many aspects of customer service; how your employees answer the phone, your van drivers’ politeness on the road, how welcoming your receptionist is when visitors arrive at the office, and many more.
Customer service can be summed up in one word – Respect.
Respect your customer, respect your website users, respect for other road users.
5. Thought Leadership.
With leadership comes responsibility.
Others have high expectations of a leader, and you need to set examples in all areas
You need to be clear in your support for:
- Our environment
- Equality of opportunity
- Anti-corruption practices
- Education
- Innovation
You must lead the thinking in your niche to be considered the alpha. There is one difference between you and the alpha wolf: She kills any challengers, whereas you know you are so far ahead that you can safely encourage and help newcomers to your field because they could never challenge your leadership.
Long Story Short.
You can become the leader in your niche, but it needs branding consistency. Everyone in your company and everything about it must reflect your ideals and company purpose. You cannot do it alone, so make sure every new hire is on board with your branding message before you take them on.
Get your logo, slogan, and website in order in the first instance. Respect your customers and ensure that respect is prominent in everything you do. Thought leadership follows on from top-class customer service.
