Fundamentals of Brand Personality

4 smart ways to make your brand memorable

Building a brand identity is a marketing necessity, regardless of the size of your business. It's how your customers will remember your company, and it plays an important role in keeping them coming back again and again. Your "brand" is a separate entity from your products or services — it's actually the image of your company from the customer's view. There are many ways to build a corporate identity — through a logo, business cards, a website, brochures, and advertisements, to name a few. But how do you make sure that your brand is noticed and well received by your target audience? We suggest these ideas to give your brand its own unique identity:

1. Repeat yourself. Believe it or not, studies show that it can take up to 12 impressions for your brand to make an impact with your customers. That means you have to be diligent with your efforts to expose your brand to your audience. The more customers see your logo, and the more they hear your message, the more likely they will seek you out in the future.
2. Stand out. Using a funky graphic in a direct-mail piece or a catchy tagline on your website can set your brand apart from the competition — provided it doesn't sacrifice the core message in your creative efforts. For example, if you own a dry cleaning shop, don't be afraid to include a pun in your tagline — "We clean up the competition" — as long as your customers can clearly see how it relates back to dry cleaning.
3. Have personality. Creating a personality for your brand is a great way to keep your marketing on track. If you have an emerging business, for example, the brand's personality could reflect you, the owner. If you own a larger business, base its personality on the needs of your customer. For example, if you own a spa that caters mostly to middle-aged women, then the personality of your brand should reflect this demographic. Choose something the target market can easily relate to.
4. Be professional. The product or service you market should support your promises — such as high-quality construction or great customer service — to boost the credibility of your brand with your target audience. Also, if your customers have any questions or problems, be sure there's an easy way for you to address them, such as through online instant messaging. The basis of a strong brand is building a good relationship with your customers.