Brand development is the first step for any business to establish itself in the marketplace. You want to offer customers a product or service that will benefit them, but it’s also essential to have a strong brand purpose and remain authentic throughout the process. How to define your brand centers around the what, how, and why. From there, your brand begins to take shape.
What is brand building?
Brand building is how you generate awareness about your business. You accomplish this through brand strategies and campaigns that create a unique and lasting image in the marketplace.
How to Define Your Brand
Brand development is tedious and complex, but it’s an essential part of your strategy. Let’s take a look at a few valuable tips on how to define your brand in an authentic, meaningful way.
1. Establish your brand purpose
The why behind your business and what it’s trying to accomplish represents your brand purpose. Establishing this upfront is a critical step in tapping into the human element to attract customers. Your brand purpose goes beyond the products and services you offer. It’s the core values and more significant purpose that you stand for behind it. When you identify what makes your target audience tick, you’ll have a well-rounded understanding of what’s important to them and how your brand can better align with a shared mission.
2. Identify the Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is the who, what, and why behind your brand. The ‘what’ represents the products or services you offer. The ‘how’ describes what part of your business differentiates you from competitors. The ‘why’ defines the purpose behind your brand. The Golden Circle concept can help you identify these variables more clearly and differentiate your brand from its competition.
3. Define brand archetypes
There are twelve brand archetypes to choose from, ranging from love and connection to fun and comedic. Brand archetypes help define your brand more meaningfully and allow you to form a deep connection with your audience. Establishing primary, secondary, and tertiary archetypes helps to connect the dots of your brand story.
4. Create a unique brand voice
Defining your brand archetypes is the first step in informing your brand voice, which is how you communicate with your audience. You can describe your brand voice in many ways, but it ultimately comes down to what resonates most with your customers. It’s best to let your primary and supporting archetypes inform this decision.
5. Evoke emotion in your audience
Forming an emotional connection with your audience is key to building your brand in a meaningful way. This emotional bond gives your audience a sense of shared purpose. It lets them know they play a valuable role and you’re in this together. Empathy is critical in forming this emotional connection because it allows you to put yourself in your audience’s shoes. As a result, you can better understand them. When someone feels understood, they will be more likely to invest in you and your brand. This emotional connection will also inform your decision-making from a shared perspective instead of just your own.
The Takeaway
Audiences want to invest in you, not just your brand. Beyond a high-quality product or service, customers seek connection, mutual values, and understanding. Following these valuable tips will help you develop a meaningful brand that connects with your audience and uniquely sets itself apart in the marketplace.