Just like job seekers create a distinct identity to stand out from the other candidates, similar is the case with newly appointed “Businessmen.” Regardless of how well-accomplished your ideas are and how hard you’ve worked to come up here, one misstep can lead to blunders.
Nevertheless. Now that you have decided to do more to your ideas than just talk about them, let’s help you with 10 things you need to avoid when grow your brand because the cruel world won’t let you survive if you don’t. Want to know what these mistakes are and how you can avoid indulging in any of’em? Keep Following!
Missteps to Avoid When Starting Your Brand from Scratch
It’s not uncommon in the business world to be aware of a lot of things yet to be unaware of many of them, especially when you are new to the case. Here’s what we are for; to not only enlighten you with such information but also provide answers to the same.
- Being excessively formal
If we are being honest, nothing is more boring than being “Professional.” Like, are people interested in what you look like, or how you act/talk or are they more interested in following up with what you have in the box for them? Well-well you can be as good at your job as you want to and still do it your way.
Your brand or business should always be a filtered version of you because trying hard to be a professional will leave you on the edge of being boring and “Generic.” No one likes generic.
Your brand should be a reflection of you, it should not have an identity crisis, and it should disconnect you from your dream. The more you figure these things out simultaneously, the more prone you are to getting your clients.
- Falsely representing oneself
Put your heart and soul into your brand; do everything you can to make it work but don’t ever try to be someone you are not. Fast success with a sham personality won’t give you as much peace as slow success with original representation would do. If you try to be someone else, maybe like your competitors in the market, your audience will see right through it. And, you won’t even have the chance to justify yourself.
If you showcase your unique style and incredible ideas that generated nowhere but in your mind, your skills, the values you stand by, and lastly, your experience, your targeted audience will acknowledge and sympathise with you, which eventually gets you increased chances of turning them into your loyal customers and not the other way round.
- Lacking a personal or company website.
We live in a digitalized world, where everything is available to us at our doorsteps with just a few taps, whether it be groceries or information on what the world is currently revolving around. This brings us to justify our point about why you must not avoid creating your personal or company website, a portfolio of what you do, provide, and strive for.
Ensure to secure an ideal domain name for you, if you can’t get access to your particular brand name domain, you can get access to something close to it; is a reflection of it. Furthermore, once you are done creating a website, share what you are doing with your audience, publish articles, share thoughts, write-ups, and whatever you feel is correct.
- Neglecting to uphold a robust online presence.
Online presence is as important as offline presence for every business; be it small or large. Make sure that you have a strong online presence on all the social media channels. Professional platforms like LinkedIn are perfect for sharing what you have. However, twitter for men and Instagram for women are most common. You must first identify who your target audience is and on which platform you will be able to reach out to them.
So, make sure to create an appealing online presence. You can use digital marketing for your brand to be visible online. But, one thing you must keep in mind is to avoid using inappropriate strategies that may entirely shut your online presence. In such a manner, you will be safe with what you are doing online.
- Engaging in dishonesty regarding your claims.
Don’t make false promises; promise only what you can rather give. This high-tech world won’t let you lie, just a few clicks and people will find out what you are all about. So, make sure to only claim what you can provide to your customers because dishonesty doesn’t last long. Lying may give you a strong fan following but it may backfire once they find the truth.
In addition, always be upfront about what you are selling. Suppose, you are selling a sunscreen and you claim it to be organic; try everything that you can to add ingredients that are organic and won’t harm or damage the user’s skin. Rest assured, when the consumers use your product, they will find out that your claims were in fact as real as you said them to be. In turn, you will get a long list of loyal customers based on word-of-mouth.
- Demonstrating fluctuating and pessimistic behaviour.
Negative behaviour and inconsistency are the two important characteristics that every businessman should stay away from. People value consistency and optimistic behaviour, which means you won’t get a second chance if you fail to show so. Whatever your thoughts, ideas, or opinions may be, stick to them. Don’t falter, don’t stammer, or present shaky opinions.
If you are against somebody’s ideas don’t try to shut them off with a negative answer, acknowledge what they have to say, appreciate their mind, and cut them a slack by providing flexibility. It will open doors for people to share their opinions with you, which further will help you grow your brand in a manner that showcases what you are and how positively you take into account what others have to suggest to you.
- Being excessively concerned about others’ opinions.
This is one of the most important factors you must avoid when creating your Agency. Avoid what others have to say. It’s okay to acknowledge and reciprocate but it’s not okay to force their opinions upon yours. People who won’t want to see you succeed will always have negative feedback for you but are you here to feed your soul or there’s?
Don’t fall into the trap, try to disregard it, and embrace your personality as much as you can. In such a manner, you will flourish like no other. You will be an “entrepreneur” well thought about.
- Overlooking immediate opportunities right in front of you.
When you try to catch the bigger fish in the sea, you always overlook the smaller ones closer to your net, and you get neither. Always focus on your existing customers more than you focus on building new customers. If you value people who are already engaged with you, you will have a list of followers who are going nowhere. Build trust and companionship.
Now you must be wondering, then how will I be able to expand my clients? Well, the ones that you have will get you there. Start small, end big. When you serve small businesses, you will see a connection that leads you to the bigger ones.
- Entering the market without identifying your target audience.
Knowing your target audience is of utmost significance because you cannot sell when you do not know who to sell. Every strategy, every promotion, every post, every product, must align to the needs of your target audience and not otherwise. Research the market, get your hands on the right data from reputable sources on the internet, and organise things accordingly.
When you know who your target audience is, it will be easy for you to provide what they are looking for, you can go above and beyond to offer them the services they have been wanting for so long.
- Failing to take feedback or suggestions from your customers.
Lastly, don’t forget to take feedback, suggestions, or reviews from your customers after you have sold your service or product to them. In such a manner, you will get to know the drawbacks or loopholes you must work on to get better at your game. If possible, you can get video reviews or manage live podcast sessions with some of your customers to showcase to the world your “WORK”. Afterward, you can post it on your socials or website for the world to see it with their bare eyes.
Wind Up!
The mentioned “10 things you need to avoid when you brand” will help you stay steady and still in your business as it will assist you in getting better at what you may currently be lacking. So, make sure that you follow up with the key factors and grow strong.
Learn More!
- What makes bad branding?
Perplexed ideas and representation, inconsistency, and inauthentic branding are the three key things that make bad branding.
- Why do some brands fail?
Brands that lack competitive differentiation often tend to fail in the long run.
- What are the steps to create a strong brand?
Research, analyse, learn, provide, and engage, are some of the things you could do to create a strong brand.
